Draco and Hermione: The Life That Lives
by smileforlove
Summary: Draco and Hermione's relationship is finally exposed! But then Hermione's kidnapped due to parenal dissaproval on Draco's part. When Draco finally sees her again it seems that she's FORGOTTEN all about him! Now what!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Too Much

_Why did you push me away, when all I wanted to do was help?_

Hermione Granger stepped slowly into the crisp white snow one chilly winter evening looking through the windows of Zonkos the joke shop in Hogsmeade.

"Hey, Hermione, are you doing Christmas shopping too?" Ron Weasley, a red haired, tall freckled boy asked her cheerfully, bright colored bags swinging from his arms, full of gifts and presents.

"Hmm, oh not really. I'm just sort of wandering." She answered glumly, staring at the indented footprints in the snow.

"Is something wrong? I heard from a bunch of girls from your room talking about you. They said something like you broke up with this unbelievably hot blonde boy, but I didn't stay around long enough to listen if he was from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor." Ron finished quickly digging through one his red gift bags.

"What's wrong with Slytherin, they're not all bad you know." Hermione snapped a bit too suddenly to her best friend. "Where's Harry anyway?" she scowled at the sky.

"He's in Honeydukes buying some Acid Pops to give to Dudley. Why?" Ron replied sadly, surprised to be answered so harshly by the usually kind and sweet hearted Hermione.

"Oh, ok. Well, I'll see you around, have a good Christmas." Hermione said faking a cheerful mood. She saw him wave, clearly disappointed by the turn of events.

Hermione rushed off to find Harry; she opened the door, and was thrown into a crowd of chattering 6th year students all from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. She stopped, dead in her tracks, there he was, Draco Malfoy, standing in front of the cash register, handing the cashier a couple of galleons for some bags of chocolate frogs. And there was Harry, the one she was searching for…right behind Draco.

_Bloody hell, my day is getting worse then ever! _She thought rapidly. She made her way through the groups of people and finally arrived beside Harry, making sure Draco was not aware of her presence.

"Hermione! How are you…?"

"Shhhhh!" Hermione hissed.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked curiously, his dark brown hair flopping over his round glasses.

Hermione grabbed the sleeve of his sweatshirt and yanked him down the steps to the cellar of the store, where it was abnormally quiet for a store filled with so many people on the top floor.

"We need to talk about something." Hermione said finally, inhaling a deep breath, her voice dead serious, and a pierce in her gaze.

"What's going on Mione'? Harry asked, now worried about Hermione's appearance, her normally straightened chestnut brown hair was just as curly and messy as if she hadn't slept in days as it had been in their 1st year at Hogwarts.

"It's about _Draco Malfoy_…" she tried to continue her explanation but Harry had interrupted her jumping to stupid conclusions that only he and Ron would cook up about Malfoy.

"Has he been doing anything to you? I bet he finally paid you back for that punch you gave him in 3rd year, what did he do to you? You don't have any bruises…"

"That's because the bruises are in here." Hermione said quietly indicating her heart. Tears began to well up into her eyes; she couldn't hide it anymore. Harry took hold of her shoulders and shook her gently.

"Come on Hermione, this isn't like you. I promise I won't interrupt this time, now tell me what's going on about…Malfoy." Harry sighed.

"Well, you didn't know this, and neither Ron, but nearly two months ago, Draco and I had befriended one another, we talked together, ate together too but of course in secrecy, Hogwarts would be a riot if they had figured out that a Slytherin and Gryffindor had become friends or a sort. We could even share our feelings and opinions of almost everything, until that terrible day had come." Hermione stopped she sat down on the cold wooden floor, and breathed in and out, distressed as it seemed.

"So you guys had become friends. Go on." Harry said; his eyes interested yet subtle over this subject.

"Well, we then became even closer, sometimes you know, kissing,"

"Snogging." Harry corrected her; she rolled her eyes, and continued,

"And of course we kissed while no one was looking, we'd walk around our fingers entwined with one another's, and when we talked it would be full of compassion and understanding, more security, but then one day," Hermione groaned in desperate need of comfort but Harry didn't budge he still leaned against a crate of candy, "Somebody saw us…while we were kissing, Pansy Parkinson, she flew into a fit of rage and tore down the Great Hall using the most ignorant language I've ever heard, I could hear her say that she'd threaten to blab to Draco's father unless…well I didn't hear what she said after that, then she just continued cursing all way until we couldn't see her. She had probably run to her common room to sob, everybody knows she fancies Draco, and has for the utmost time." Hermione said inhaling another breathe before continuing.

"Then Draco began cursing his bit of course because Pansy would most definitely use the sight she had just seen as a weapon against us, so I tried to tell him that things would be fine. Usually things like this never happed to us when we were a couple. But he only pushed me away, and then would stalk off to his dormitory, to think I imagine, or possibly to curse some more. And now, I'm feeling this odd sensation like, my life is over and that I'll never survive or get through my life without him because, Harry, he's part of me, not just part of my life but an actual part of me, my heart, my soul, my life! Sometimes I feel like stabbing myself to death, life is just getting so complicated and confusing, can't death just end it all?" Hermione snapped angrily, tears pouring out of her eyes, standing up to bend her head low to the ground, her eyes flooding with tears. Harry brushed some of her hair behind her ear and stood up in front of her, so close their noses almost collided.

"Hermione, death isn't going to end it all, it will only worsen it, and you would only fall into another pit of troubles. Think Hermione, if Draco doesn't listen to you this last time; you need to forget about him. He was never meant to have a long lasting relationship, with that temper of his." Harry said solemnly looking away as he said those last words, his eyes dull and serious, and the sound of his voice cold yet encouraging. Hermione looked up, her tear stained face was red and blotchy, and she wiped her cheeks, and then nodded but she knew already, Harry didn't know the real Draco Malfoy the kind and generous soul within him. Harry left her to think, he walked up the steps back the noisy Honeydukes filled with customers. But Hermione stood, her tears never fell again, a frown didn't come, nor a smile, she just stood, lost in her despair, and problems of her own. It was time; time to tell Draco that what's going on has to stop…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Playing" too far

Hermione awoke the next day in the Hospital Wing. Harry and Ron stood hovering over the bed bewildered and frightened, well Ron was frightened, but Harry only looked worried almost as if he was expecting this to happen.

"W-what happened?" Hermione asked after slowly pushing herself up onto her pillows.

"Well, last night one of the girls from Gryffindor came screaming through the Great hall yelling all around saying to almost everybody at our table that when she walked into her dormitory she found you laying unconscious a bloody knife in your hand and your wrist bleeding and stuff!" Ron explained, shaking slightly.

"Oh, ya…" Hermione mumbled, feeling rather bad to have made such a fuss.

"Hey Ron, could you give us a minute?" Harry said finally speaking. Ron nodded, his ears pink. He looked rather hurt and disappointed but opened the door and walked off anyway.

"Hermione, I told you yesterday in Honeydukes. Death isn't the way to get rid of this feeling." Harry said quietly but looked serious as he gazed into Hermione's eyes.

"I, I know but, it's just. I don't know…" Hermione replied trembling turning away and staring out a window.

Harry stood, and then sat onto the edge of the bed. He sighed deeply. Then waved goodbye then also left the room. Hermione relaxed and rubbed the bandage on her arm gingerly. She winced, the pain was mild but it stung. Then suddenly the door swung open, revealing a boy Hermione's age, his blonde hair scattered across his head giving him the appearance of just waking, he had broad shoulders and muscular hands. It was Draco Malfoy; he walked over to Hermione's bed and sat down.

"Hermione…"

"Draco…" they both spoke softly, staring at each other.

"Um, I, look Hermione, about before when I acted like a jerk…"

"I understand." Hermione broke in, partly lying.

"No, you don't, you see, it was more then the issue of Pansy knowing that we were together, but my father ordered me to marry her, because she's a pureblood you know, you know how snobbish my father can be?" He muttered.

Hermione didn't say anything just sat on her bed, looking slightly tense.

"If he ever found out that we were seeing each other he would kill me!"

Hermione sighed, a slow and painful sigh.

"That makes sense, so I guess we won't be seeing each other anymore." Hermione said, her eyes feeling watery.

"Well, ya, I guess not. So, I just wanted you to know that I'm really sorry." Draco replied, looking pale. Hermione bent over and kissed him gently on the lips, he kissed back, but then they separated. Staring, aching with pain at each other. Draco shoved himself up, waved goodbye then slowly retreated out the door and down the marble steps. Hermione slid down onto the bed again, tears dripping down her cheeks.

She then fell into a deep slumber…

The following day, her wrist was now fully capable of writing and moving, so she was released from the Hospital Wing and sent to her first class of the day, double Potions with Slytherin. _Sigh, life sucks! _Hermione thought negatively, scrambling to the classroom quickly. _Creak!_ She opened the large door and stepped into the dungeon, three cauldrons on each table; she sat between Harry and Ron and gave a weak smile. Ron grinned back and then turned back to the front of the class; Harry only returned the small smile and then wrote down some notes onto his blank parchment.

And there was Draco, sitting at the table across from hers, deliberately trying not to look at Hermione in order to not go into the pain of just seeing her. Hermione didn't bother to stare too long; Professor Snape was a strict and crabby person especially when Ron, Harry, and Hermione were involved or any other Gryffindor for that matter. He was the head of Slytherin and only liked his own students; his hobby was picking on once certain Gryffindor student who just so happened to be Neville Longbottom.

"Everybody, page 529!" he spit furiously, pointing his wand at his book, it flipped a numerous amount of pages but then finally rested on a page near the end of the large book. Ron and Harry flipped through their books quickly, but Hermione only slowly scanned from page to page, barely making it to the 34th page during 10 minutes of speaking by Professor Snape.

"PAGE 529 GRANGER! WHAT MUST I DO TO MAKE YOU PAY ATTENTION IN THIS BLASTED CLASS?" Snape hollered angrily, his face red and burning, his teeth clenched tightly as he yelled. He pointed his wand at Hermione's book and it burst at light speed to the correct page. Hermione sat stunned, her face pink with embarrassment. She quickly pulled out a spare parchment from her bag, brushed a flying curl of brown hair away from her face and then scribbled rapidly, her face burning, and sweat dripping down the nape of her neck; she could feel Draco staring at her from the corner of his eye.

After class had finally ended she burst out of the room, colliding into someone as she bustled around the desks.

"Oh, sorry!" she heard a familiar voice say; she looked up to meet dark gray eyes, Draco.

"Oh, hi… I mean thanks. I was just in a hurry; sorry I caused you the trouble." Hermione muttered taking her dropped books and running away down the corridors. She burst through the door of the library and plopped into a chair ignoring the grumpy librarian.

"Oh, hi Hermione, come to join me?" A cold yet smooth voice echoed into Hermione's ears.

Hermione looked up from her books; she hadn't bothered to see if anybody was at the table and had just noticed Seamus staring hungrily at her.

_Uh oh, it's Seamus the Snake from Gryffindor, the secret woman squeezer. It's a wonder how he didn't get into Slytherin but better split while I still have the chance! _Hermione thought, picking up her books and trying to get up but Seamus grabbed her arm and yanked her down right in front of his face.

"_I know you want me._" Seamus murmured, his hot breath tickling her ear.

Hermione squirmed not able to reach her wand in her pocket, her arms were too cramped together, "No I don't! Now let go!"

"Not until I'm done." Seamus replied letting out an awful laugh, he pressed against her lips, shoving her chest into him, they collided. Hermione squirmed again; trying to push him away, but the more she struggled the more he grabbed her.

"BLOODY HELL!"

Hermione turned slightly while Seamus finished his long hard and soulless kiss then both turned to see Draco staring at them, his jaw dropped.

"What do you want Malfoy, shouldn't you be looking at the mirror right now?" Seamus sneered getting up letting of Hermione, who had forgotten about her wand with all of these distractions going on.

"Shut up Seamus. What are you doing to Herm…Granger?" Draco spit out, shoving a finger into Seamus's chest.

"Why should you care Slytherin?" Seamus snapped angrily.

"Because you're acting like a fool, don't you know that playing with girls is my job?" Draco replied snottily, but Hermione knew that he was only faking this, he never did that to her.

She could feel herself slowly filling with steam, she had a sudden hate and furry with Seamus for playing with her and not letting go this had to be taken care of…

"You're such a prat thinking that you're all that, would you just…" Seamus begun.

POW! Hermione gave him the hardest punch in the nose she could muster; he dropped to the ground soundless.

"Served the git right." Hermione grimaced wiping her hands on her school robes, then turning to look at a surprised Draco.

"You've certainly changed young lady." Draco said, scanning Hermione from her feet to her hair.

"It's been less then 3 weeks sense the Pansy incidents, how could I have changed?" Hermione smiled, her left eyebrow arched curiously.

Draco shrugged then gave a mischievous grin and leaned against Hermione so that she was hitting the edge of the table.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, though smiling all the while.

"Shhhhh…"Draco whispered kissing her lightly. Hermione was drawled into the passionate and loving kiss. She groaned quietly.

"Draco, quite it." Hermione said, shoving out words in between breaths.

"Hermione c'mon I know you want to, and I want to as well, so just kiss me!" Draco ordered impatiently, roughly kissing Hermione.

"Draco, we promised to not see each other because the punishment at the end would be too awful." Hermione explained urgently, pushing him away gently.

"But…" He continued going forward to her once more.

"No, Draco. We need to stop maybe when we mature a bit more." Hermione suggested shakily, again pushing Draco's chest away from her.

"Fine, this time." Draco said, loosening, turning to leave, but before he left, he turned his head back to Hermione and mumbled something, something that gave Hermione a boost of hope and spirit.

"_The love between us is stronger then anything, we will be together Hermione Granger, mark my words…"_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

A Love to Strong and a Night Gone Wrong

That night, Hermione sat on her bed, her head propped on her hands. How come this had to happen, she loved Draco, and she knew that he loved her back, what was the problem? _Well of course, Draco's father would never approve of Draco seeing me and most definitely would hate to see us snogging in a closet. _Hermione thought glumly.

"I need to talk to somebody about this…" Hermione uttered under her breathe, it was around midnight and all or her roommates were fast asleep, she crept out of her dormitory and then quickly climbed up the stairs to the boy's dormitories and knocked on the door. Harry opened the door; only wearing boxers, the boxers that Hermione had given him last Christmas, his hair was all ruffled and his eyes looked half closed.

"Mione'?" Harry murmured ushering Hermione to sit on his bed.

"Hey Harry." Hermione said aloud, putting a silencing charm on his bed and inside Harry's curtains so that they wouldn't be heard with her wand.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, now fully awakened to see Hermione looking so anxious.

"Remember what I told you about Draco the day before yesterday?" Hermione asked looking at him sadly.

"Yea, I remember. What's going on?" he inquired quizzically.

"Well, he said something in the library today that got me thinking…"

"What did he say?" Harry said tenderly, stroking Hermione's cheek lightly. She blushed furiously but continued.

"He said that our love together is too strong to separate us and that we'd be together some time, somehow." Hermione said giving a small smile.

"Really, wow, I never Malfoy had a heart." Harry said taking his hand away and staring at the curtains, pondering.

"He does, but I realized this problem not long afterward, we can't be together, it's just not possible." Hermione sighed desperately.

"Who could stop you, love is very powerful, it's what saved me from Voldemort when he tried to kill me, my mother's love was what has protected me throughout my whole bloody life!" Harry confirmed surely.

"Draco's father. He's a Death Eater and a big supporter of you-know-who, and the whole wizard world thinks that he's changed into a good man, hah, that's as likely as Professor Snape wearing pink to class tomorrow. The pathetically stupid Minister of Magic "Fudgey" doesn't want to believe the truth that you-know-who's back!" Hermione yelled frustrated and fuming.

"He'll learn Hermione, but let's get back to you and Malfoy. His father is only a wizard, not bloody God! And so he has his limits too; he can't destroy the love between you and Malfoy, the only one who can destroy that love is you two. He can destroy Malfoy, he can destroy you, he could destroy his whole damn (damn used to not be a bad word) family, but he can't destroy your love Hermione! You've just got to stand up to that monster, you're just as much a witch as he is a wizard, if not more powerful with magic. Just believe in yourself, if you and Malfoy are that close, so in need of each other you've got to make his father see it, make Malfoy's father realize he can't stop the love and connection you and Malfoy have together!" Harry said loudly, shaking Hermione violently.

"Harry, y-you're right! I have to! I love Draco and I can't stand his freakish father either! T-thank you so much Harry, I couldn't have realized this without you. And, and Harry, I love you so much." Hermione said, blubbering. Giving Harry a sweet kiss on the lips out of friendship and love.

The kiss ended simply, and Harry smiled at Hermione fondly.

"You know Hermione, I love you too. You're a smart and sophisticated girl, and I wish you the best of luck and also you know… Mmmmm!"

Hermione locked lips with him again; she rolled on top of him and breathed hard, her heart pumping uncontrollably. She felt so insecure, she felt like this wasn't her doing this, as if somebody took her over. But finally, she realized what she was doing and quickly yielded from Harry's welcoming arms, knowing she was acting like a self-conscious girl she withdrew and sat on her knees.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, starting to sit up as well, "Aren't you having fun?"

"This is wrong, why are we doing this?" she asked her eyes looking surprised and shocked.

"Cuz' uh, you started it." Harry suggested easily.

"I shouldn't have I'm so sorry but, I love Draco, I love you too, but not like the way I love Draco. I should go now." Hermione said shakily, without another word she crept off the bed and through the dormitory door.

Hermione sat down on a chair by the fire and stared at the blazing flames, feeling guilty and stupid. Why'd she do something like that, was it out of love, or greed, or just the need to do it? It wasn't Harry's fault; it was her's, and her's alone.

"_Huh? What do you want? It's in the middle of the night! Oh all right, come in."_

"What?" Hermione said turning to the common room door why is the Fat Lady talking, when suddenly the door flew open and Draco walked in.

"Draco?" Hermione said, her eyes widening she flew into his arms, holding him tightly, never wanting to let go of her true love.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

An Impossible Marriage

"Draco, I love you. I wish we never had to separate." Hermione sobbed, her face buried in Draco's shirt. He stroked her hair and hugged her tightly also not wanting to let go.

"And we won't, because there's a very important question I want to ask you, tonight, and right now." Draco said giving a small innocent smile. Hermione let go of him staring at him inquisitively.

Draco bent down on his knee and pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket. Hermione gasped, smiling but alarmed.

"Hermione Granger, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life you. Will you marry me?" he asked nervously.

"Draco…"Hermione stuttered, Draco rose, his eyes looked scared and very insecure.

"I love you but…"

"But?" Draco asked, inhaling a deep breath.

"But if I say no I'd die! Of course I'll marry you Mr. Malfoy!" Hermione chirped happily, grabbing Draco close and planting a kiss on him.

Draco grinned broadly and placed the diamond ring on Hermione's finger. They both stared at the ring in awe then looked up at each other and smiled.

"Today is the first day of being engaged to each other. What should we do?" Draco asked, still grinning.

"Wait, what about your father?" Hermione asked, her smile quickly fading.

"Hermione, he doesn't know, and he never will, we can privately marry!" Draco said, thinking that his plan would work and that his father would never track us down with his dark magic.

"Draco, we need to talk…" Hermione said gloomily, taking his hand and seating him and herself into plush red chairs out on the balcony staring out at the stars and the slight light coming from the sun getting ready to show itself.

"What's the problem; all we have to do is elope and then run off together. Who would bother to look for us?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Draco, sweetie, hold your temper and listen. Your father can find us, he could kill me, more importantly, he could kill you, his only son." Hermione said quietly, but loud enough for Draco to realize that he was not living in a fairy tale but a world of good and bad wizards, very weak and very powerful wizards and witches. Just one death curse could wipe out 5o muggles or 30 wizards, a big impact upon the magical world.

"Hermione, dear, he can kill us but he can't kill our love." Draco said somberly.

_That's what Harry said earlier, how do these guys know these types of things? _Hermione thought to herself.

"I know Draco, but I want to live my life, instead of dieing early, don't you?" Hermione said, knowing she was right, even if the love for each other was strong enough, it would never protect their very lives.

"Hermione, of course I want to live, but I also want to marry you. I want people to look at us as an engaged couple instead if an oversized-ego and a bookworm."

"I resent that, I'm not a bookworm!" Hermione fought.

"Of course you're not." Draco said with a smirk, drawing Hermione into a deep and passionate kiss.

_I feel so bad; he doesn't even know what I did with Harry tonight. But if I tell him the truth he'll think I'm a mad lunatic and take back the engagement ring! _Hermione thought hesitantly as she kissed Draco.

Draco pulled away and carefully laid Hermione's fragile hands in his and stared into her deep brown eyes. Hermione stared back into his gray ones and felt like a two-faced liar.

"Hermione, I can feel it. There's something wrong. What is it?" Draco asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm fine. Oh, its almost morning, you better go back to your dormitory before we're caught together." Hermione warned, her head spinning.

"Right. Well, I'll see you later ok." Draco replied kissing Hermione on the cheek then rushed out of the common room entrance.

Hermione sat, and sulked in her chair, wondering what to tell Harry, to tell Draco. There was nobody to tell. Except for one, no, not Ron Weasley, but Ginny Weasley. Hermione's one-of-a-kind best friend…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Too Much Guilt and so little Love

"Hey, Ginny, Ginny! Wake up!" Hermione hissed in Ginny Weasley, a red haired, perky, girl who happened to be one of Hermione's best friends ear as she shook her violently.

"Hmmm, Mum, five more minutes plea-Hermione? What's going on?" Ginny moaned, stretching out a yawn.

"Ginny, I'm serious get up, come with me to the common room. Hurry up now, everybody wakes up in a half hour, c'mon!" Hermione said impatiently, yanking Ginny's arm in an effort to make her rise out of bed.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming, sheesh!" Ginny mumbled sleepily, slipping on her slippers and wandering out of the dormitory with Hermione close behind.

"Now, tell me what's going on now, or else I'm going back to bed." Ginny said irritably.

Hermione took the deepest breath she had taken all week, and told her about how she had kissed Harry a couple of hours ago, and then Draco came into the room later on and proposed to Hermione, not knowing at all what Hermione had just previously done.

"I just feel so guilty, he proposed to a complete jerk!" Hermione snapped, directing herself.

Ginny, was now sitting up properly, fully awake.

"I see, so you want to tell Draco what's going on, but you're afraid that he'll dump you if you do? Why did you kiss Harry anyway, you only like him as a friend."

"I'm not sure, I said I Love You and then he said it back and tried to say something but some kind of…o I don't know, and suddenly I just started throwing myself at him!" Hermione said in a low tone, her voice dry and raspy.

"So you're basically saying that you used Harry?" Ginny groaned, her hidden love for Harry was now completely visible, she sat exasperated.

"Hermione, you know I love Harry, why did you do it?" Ginny demanded, her tone switching to a cold angry voice.

"Ginny! I don't know why I did it! I came to talk to you because I thought you could help me! Thanks a lot!" Hermione screamed, throwing her arms out and running back to the girl's dormitory.

She splashed her face with cold water in the bathroom.

_Geez! Why can't she just be normal for once and help me out! Honestly, I deserve some respect too right? _

**Beep! Beep! Beep! ****Beep! Beep! Be-SMASH!**

Hermione stuck her head out of the bathroom, there was Ginny with a hammer, she had smashed Hermione's alarm clock, the one that Harry had given to her for Christmas and she knew that Ginny was very well aware of it. She stood fuming for a minute then took her wand out of her pocket.

"I can not believe her!" Hermione hissed, she flung herself out of the bathroom and shouted the stunning spell at Ginny; who froze and collapsed onto the ground, her arms to her sides. Hermione giggled maliciously, then gasped, she just laughed about stunning one of her close friends, she must be going mad.

"H-Hermione?" she heard somebody shudder, she turned, to face Lavender Brown, her eyes wide with fear.

"Uh, she broke something that was mine, I mean, of course I had to stop her right?" Hermione said quickly before grabbing her school robes and jumping into the bathroom.

(Harry)

Harry sat on the edge of his bed, his head buried in his hands.

_Why did I do it? She's dating; I let her cheat on Malfoy, WITH ME! _He thought; his eyebrows furrowed in a question-like manner.

"Oi, Harry, G'morning!"

Harry turned to face his cheerful red haired best friend, who was sticking his wand in his robe pocket.

"Morning." Harry mumbled back, he lifted his head out of his hands, adjusted his glasses then went to his chest to pull out his robes.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron, his smile soon disappearing.

"Ah, nothing." Harry said a bit too quickly; he definitely did not want his best friend to know that he just snogged with Hermione Granger the one that Ron had secretly loved all his life and had not yet discovered the Malfoy and Granger ship.

"Oh, well ok. I'll meet you in the Great Hall then, right?" Ron said, shrugging off the subject.

"Ya, ok. In a bit." Harry replied glumly, he shoved his arms through the robe on top of his clothes. He went back to his bed, sat down, tied his shoes then rushed out of his dormitory, only to see Hermione coming out of her dormitory as well.

"Bloody…" Harry muttered, he rushed back up to his dormitory, the last thing he wanted to do was talk to Hermione.

He paced around his dorm before finally deciding that she must've left by now. He walked slowly, and before turning the final corner, he peeked out.

_No Hermione, Phew! _Harry thought, sweat dripping down the nape of his neck. He grabbed his book bag then ran through the halls to the Great Hall for breakfast. He burst through the door and sat by Ron who was wolfing down his toast and jam.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked while taking a bit of toast himself.

"By the lake, she told me before she left. She looked worried or something…Harry, pass the toast." Ron said hurriedly.

"Oh, ok. Here's the toast, so, we have Quidditch practice today, we better warm up during lunch." Harry suggested, glad to know that Hermione was nowhere near him.

"Ya, I suppose." Ron sighed. "I think I finally nailed that move that Oliver used before, so I might be able to do better, but now that Angelina's gone its tons harder." Ron sighed again. The new captain was definitely not his favorite; it was his brother Fred who continued to make fun of Ron for being Keeper.

"Oh, that's great." Harry said a tad too sarcastically, he was too troubled and had hardly heard what Ron had just said, Ron tossed him a disappointed glance but didn't mention it, Harry was pleased that he didn't, he just had too many other things on his mind at the moment.

(Hermione)

After cooling off on the outside balcony she wandered back into her room, showered, and dressed for school. Hermione finished applying some light make up and straightening her with a spell she had learned in a book called 'Spells for Cursed Hair'. She stood back to look at herself in the mirror, fixed her hair into a low ponytail then grabbed her bag and rushed out of the dormitory. She stopped dead in her tracks while on the stairs, there was Harry also coming down, she didn't want to face him just yet, she stood solid, and watched Harry gasp and burst back up the stairs.

Hermione exhaled then rushed out of the door to the Great Hall to grab a bit of breakfast before going to the library, she knew Harry would come to eat breakfast with Ron, and she didn't want to be there when Harry arrived.

"Hey Ron, I'm going for a walk by the lake, see you in Potions later." Hermione tipped him, grabbed a piece of toast, smothered some strawberry preserve on it, jammed it up her mouth, then rushed out of the Hall before Ron could reply. She had just gotten out when she saw Harry coming towards her, she ran away without turning back. She crashed into somebody on the way.

"Ow!" Hermione whined; she looked up to see Draco.

"Oh, hello fiancé." Hermione said, plastering a satisfied smile on her face.

"Hello, bride-to-be!" Draco replied slyly, bending down to pick up her books.

"Where are you heading?" she asked, taking her books, and stuffing them back into her bag, only to find that they fell right through a new hole in the bottom.

"Ugh, just a minute." Hermione groaned, fishing inside her robe pocket for her wand.

"Let me." Draco said, his wand already out, he pointed at her bag with ease.

"Repairo!" Draco shouted, immediately the bag was as good as new, he picked her books up once more and stuffed them in her bag.

"Thank you sweetie" Hermione sang, kissing Draco lightly on the lips.

"No worries." Draco shrugged. Hermione slipped her hands through his, and smiled to herself, completely forgetting what had happened that night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

A Duel of No Kind

"So, um where are you going?" Draco asked her, taking slow strides down one of the halls.

"Uh…" Hermione stumbled, her heart stopped all of a sudden, she looked around her to meet the glares of Gryffindors and Slytherins who were watching them.

"I uh…was going to the library." Hermione lied quickly.

"Really? What a coincidence, I needed a study partner for my essay on boggart transformations." Draco said, heaving out a large sigh.

"Hey, you are **not** going to copy my work." Hermione replied sharply, glaring at him friendlily. Draco groaned.

"How come? Why not? Its only one! Please…" he begged.

"Ya, and one becomes two, then two becomes three…Draco, hey stop!" Hermione laughed, trying to take Draco's strong hands off of her stomach.

"Hee hee! Stop…Drab-hee hee, no, come on, stop!" she shrieked, her eyes closed tightly, she jumped up many times, and each time her skirt hitched up an inch.

"Whoa, Hermione, what's that?" Draco gasped staring at a small spray bottle that was attached to the inside of her skirt. Hermione froze, she looked down and her eyes bulged, her skirt had been yanked up to her waist, showing the whole school her underwear and her muggle defense called Pepper Spray which was used to temporarily blind the attacker if sprayed in the eyes.

"Oh my gosh! Draco, let go!" Hermione ordered, tossing off his hands. He burst out laughing.

"My God, what the bloody hell was that?" he screeched. Pointing at her skirt.

"Don't say that!" she snapped angrily, shoving her uniform skirt down.

He simply rolled his eyes and strolled on.

"Hey, wait up!" Hermione called after him, but he didn't turn around, he only continued down the hall to The Room of Requirement for some reason.

"Library my foot!" Hermione scoffed under her breath as she shuffled off to the lake as originally planned.

She shrugged to herself; she opened the large doors and stepped into the cool fresh air.

"Ahh!" she sighed out loud, walking close to the water.

"Eek!" She suddenly screamed, she was grasped by a slimy creature and pulled into the water.

"Help!" she screamed under the water, but she only saw bubbles escape from her mouth.

"Please…help…" she murmured, and then black, pitch black…

(Harry)

"Ron, where's Hermione?" Harry whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know, she did say she was going around the…LAKE!" Ron yelled.

"Weasley, would you please tell the class why you had that sudden outburst?" Professor Snape ordered furiously, snapping his head up from the book he was reading from to glare at Ron.

"I uh, um, am not feeling well, and neither is Harry. Must have been the toast this morning…heh heh, old toast, must be it!" Ron stumbled, his ears turning a bright shade of pink.

"Very well, Weasley and Potter, out, to the Hospital Wing!" Professor Snape shouted using his wand to violently open the large doors of the classroom. Ron and Harry wasted no time in waiting, and escaped the dungeon.

"C'mon Harry!" Ron yelled urgently, motioning towards the doors which Hermione had exited only just briefly ago.

Harry followed Ron's lead as they both fled down the gravel steps and found an arm in the water before it sank into the lake.

"Bloody hell Harry, let's go! That's Hermione!" Ron squealed, running to the lake and taking a gigantic leap into the water.

"Alright, alright!" Harry shouted in reply, first placing his wand firmly in his grasp. He took in a large breath then dived into the water, he couldn't breathe as he had recalled earlier in 4th year during the Competition and forwarded his wand.

"Lumos!" he shouted into the water, bubbles escaping his mouth, but it still worked and a bright light shimmered in the blackness of the water, near the rocks at the bottom he spotted some gillyweed which allowed him to breathe under water temporarily, did a quick breast stroke kick then quickly grabbed a handful of gillyweed and stuffed half of it in his mouth, saving the rest for Ron as soon as he could find him.

"Harry's mouth blew up like a fish, he could feel his insides churning, when he suddenly let out a gasping breath, bubbles filing out of his mouth in an orderly fashion, he inhaled, and found the oxygen flowing through his lungs and out his new gins. He swam around holding his brightened wand in front of him, searching for Ron and Hermione. When he saw them, fastened to a large bolder like rock on the bottom of the lake, he rushed over to them, and tried to free the unconscious people, but found no luck. The seaweed, which bound them, was much to strong, Harry took his wand and pointed it at the green rope and murmured a charm to set his friends free, but once again, no luck. Harry stood still in the water for a moment, flabbergasted.

"How come this isn't breaking?" Harry screamed into the water, trying to yank away the seaweed.

Harry swished around nervously, a loud cackling filled the lake, an evil, cold, villainous laugh,

"You want your friends Potty?" Harry heard a menacing voice call to him dangerously it sounded familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Yes, I do!" Harry answered back firmly, tightening his grip on his wand, wading through the water in front of Ron and Hermione.

"Well, dear Potty, you're going to have to fight for them then!" Harry heard the voice shout at him. He paused, should he fight for his friends, if he lost though, they'd be gone forever, but if he won…

"I except your challenge now show yourself!" Harry yelled, swimming around a few feet hoping to find the mystery criminal.

"You will not see me, and you can not see me, boy. This duel isn't through wands, it's through brains! We fight, just like a duel, but we will not be physically fighting, it will be mentally, and every time one of our attacks work they will damage each others life, mentally **and** physically, the winner of this challenging duel will be awarded with my victims, the loser," he cackled once more, "will have gone mad from the damage permanently set on his brain and body!"

Harry shivered uncomfortably; this creature sure sounded very confidant in winning this duel. And Harry had never tried this type of technique before. He didn't even know how to attack or defend himself through his mind, but his friends were all he was focused on, and he just had to beat this evil wizard. He could feel himself heat up.

"Fine!" Harry hollered. His scar feeling hot and tingly. He heard the laugh from the creature once more, then everything, the lake, and his friends began to swirl and then disappear in thin wisps.

"Ron? Hermione?" he shouted, but no answer, everything was gone, accept for himself in a pitch blackish room with a short and stubby candle giving bits of light.

"Stupify!" Harry heard the voice call, but Harry was too smart to fall for this trick again. He thought of a defense counter curse in his mind and the spell shot at the attacker. He could here a **POW** from the thing falling back. But before he could think of an attack, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and he fell back. His head was throbbing and he could hardly keep himself from screaming aloud into the pitch darkness. He glared at the blackened space and concentrated on a dark magic curse that made the attacker weak, and fall over and began twitching so that they were unable of defending themselves. The curse shot out from Harry's wand in a thin yet powerful green line of electricity, wherever the mysterious man was, Harry heard the loud and echoing sound of him hitting the ground and twitching uncontrollably. But instantly he could hear a long shot, and a red electrified arrow flew at him, he pointed his wand forward at the attack.

"Lira Frieze!" Harry's mind shouted, and the attack that was so near hitting him dead on, froze in mid point, he sighed in relief, he could feel the small electric vibe coming from the fiery arrow; he could feel his body shiver. He could hear a stream of swear words and took his final chance.

"Atackery!" Harry ordered to his mind, and he saw in his brain a small green line come from within his wand and grow larger and faster is it charged towards the cursing villain. He could hear a thud of the wizard and the attack hitting him. Silence followed afterwards, Harry's current scenery soon disappeared and Hermione and Ron appeared, still bound to the rock. But before Harry could try to free them again, the green ropes slowly unraveled and Hermione's eyes opened first and gasped, a trail of bubbles coming out. Harry hurriedly lifted Ron (who was still unconscious) onto his shoulder and desperately tried to swim, but just made it close to where air was offer able, Hermione tagged on behind him, and soon the trio burst out from the surface of the lake. Hermione dug her hand into her soaking wet robes and grabbed her wand.

"Accio boat!" she commanded to a nearby floating wooden boat which was used for bringing the first years to the Great Hall on the first day of school. The boat quickly fled towards her, and she tossed herself into it, placing a firm grasp on Ron's right arm and lugging him onto the boat as well, Harry came up last, and then waited for the bewitched boat to paddle itself back to shore. They climbed out briskly along with the now awoken Ron and ran from the lake, but before they could reach the large oak doors a malicious cackle surrounded them, a burst of wind wound around them keeping them from escaping Harry gasped; it was the same person who he had previously dueled with.

"Harry Potter, you might have beaten me once, but I promise you, every time I lose these battles, I gain more then you, beware Potter, you are nothing compared the powers I own! Today is the first, you are hurting the ones you love every time you win." he heard the evil man bellow aloud. Hermione grabbed his arm and tightened her squeeze cutting off Harry's blood circulation. Ron whimpered and looked from side to side. Then the wind died down and the man made no further movements. It was gone. Hermione let go of Harry and took a step further, a cloud of smoke some how erupted from the ground and the trio began to cough uncontrollably.

"A-Acclaro!" Hermione screamed, aiming her wand at the smoke. The smoke also disappeared and upon them was…Draco Malfoy; hi body lay against the cold earth, blood dribbling from his chest, leaking all the way through his white shirt.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Without You

"Oh my gosh! Draco!" Hermione sobbed rushing over to Draco's soundless body. She pressed her ear to his chest and let out a sigh.

"He's still breathing! He's still alive! C'mon, we need to bring him to the Hospital Wing! If we don't do it now, he might not have another chance!" Hermione said, pocketing her wand, struggling to pull her fiancé onto her shoulders.

"Help!" she said, glaring at Ron, who was the tallest out of the friends.

"Do I have to?" he moaned, taking a step forward to his archenemy.

"Just shut up and do it!" Hermione yelled furiously, giving Ron a pinch with her spare hand.

"Oi, bloody…ok, ok!" Ron pleaded, shoving Hermione's hand off of his arm. He slowly walked over to Draco's sagging side and lifted him onto his left shoulder.

"Alright, we better go, c'mon." Harry whispered; pulling open the large doors for his friends and rapidly walking to the Hospital Wing behind them, the halls were all very empty since all of the Hogwarts students in class.

"I-I'm glad there's no crowd." Hermione spoke up, panting roughly after every word.

"So am I." Ron agreed, staring down at his drenched school robes and uniform as he walked.

Harry sniggered but Hermione shot him a glance and he shut his mouth immediately.

The three and the nearly dead Draco finally reached the Hospital Wing and yanked the doors open.

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse of the school, grumpily greeted them.

"What has happened?" she snapped, gently putting Draco onto an empty cot.

"We don't know…"Hermione started, her eyes beginning to well with tears.

"Now, now dear. No reason to shed tears, I'm sure Mr. Malfoy will be ok." Madam Pomfrey soothed, softening her tone.

"T-thank you M-M…" Hermione tried to say, but she was crying so hard that nobody could make out a word she said.

Madam Pomfrey gave her a hug and patted her back.

"You two, get out, get out!" she said snappily, pointing her index finger at the doors.

_But-_ Harry began.

"Come on, let's not waste time! Go!" she ordered, snapping her finger at the door.

"Gladly…" Ron mumbled to Harry as they scuttled out of the Wing.

Madam Pomfrey watched the two escorted themselves out and then took the curtain and swung it around Draco, Hermione, and herself.

"He **will** be all right, right Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked her in hesitation.

"O, dear, that I cannot yet answer." She responded, shaking her head timidly. Hermione turned back to Draco and looked at him, his blonde hair was out in odd directions, and his face was so serious, she took hold of his hand and closed her hand around it tightly.

"Ms. Granger, is there something in his fist?" Madam Pomfrey noticed, taking Draco's arm after Hermione had let go.

"Yes, yes, Ms. Granger, please, I'm sure this was meant for you." She said, taking out the scrunched piece of parchment and handing it over. Hermione took the wrinkled paper and opened it, a short paragraph looked as if Draco had torn it out of a book.

Defense against Tracking Charm

Through out the several years of research it has been found that the defenses of Tracking Charm's are very complicated but extremely accomplishing in the use.

Directions to Defense of Tracking Charm:

Wand ready

Swish in clockwise motion until a full circle is made

Keep wand in position where the circle ends.

A glow of fire should appear from tip of wand.

Very carefully create a rounded circle with wand.

Take wand and move it to the side, still keeping it in the air.

A black hole will appear in the middle of the ring of fire, take your wand and place the tip of it in the hole half way.

A bright light will come out from the hole, quickly remove your wand and sketch in the full name of the person who has or will track(ed) you from where you are.

The name will show up in fire, let it burn away into ashes which will fall down onto the ground.

The ashes will disappear and so will the circle of fire and the black hole.

With a piece of spare parchment ready, take it and write down your name and anybody who is NEXT to you and the tracking system that the stalker is using will disappear and they will not be able to find you until you finalize the counter curse.

Defense Charm against Tracking Charm will be permanent until removal.

Hermione sat in shock, how did he find this, at the bottom of the parchment there were scribbles of words.

Dear Hermione,

I have found a way to guard ourselves when we marry, trust me on this one. It is possible. All you have to do is believe that it is.

Love,

Draco

"Draco, please, please be alive…" Hermione sobbed, she laid her head upon his chest wearily, feeling her tears drip into his shirt.

"Well, I think I'm alive…" a crackling voice whispered, Hermione looked up to see Draco's eyes just barely open, and she lunged forward towards him, wrapping her arms around him, and kissing him passionately.

"Heh, heh, just barely I s'pose." Draco chuckled.

"This isn't a time for joking Draco! You could've been killed! What happened?"

"Please, Hermione, you wouldn't want to know…"

"Why wouldn't' I want to know, I want to find out who did this to you!"

"Please Hermione…"

"Draco, I'm not going to let you risk being killed again, you were close enough to death's door, and any closer and I wouldn't ever see you again! I'm not going to sit around and do nothing while you get hunted down! I'm helping no matter what happens, and furthermore resistance from you will receive consequences!"

"What kind of consequences?" Draco said, arching his eyebrow.

"You know exactly what kind of consequences Mr. Malfoy."

"No, I don't think I do." Draco was being tricky, and pulling on Hermione's nerves.

"Fine, you've done it now, no kissing, no snogging, no "messing around" for a month!" Hermione shouted, a couple of people had hear from around them and had stared, Draco turned red, and finally, spoke, "fine I'll tell, if you do one thing."

"Fine." Hermione confidently replied.

"Snog me here and now, right in front of all of these staring people." Draco said, his eyes dancing, he knew that Hermione would never do it, especially not in front of so many people. Without even a reply, he could suddenly feel Hermione's lips pressing onto his, he grabbed her back and yanked her fully onto the bed, she held onto the sides of his head, and forced him closer.

Hermione could feel people staring, even Madam Pomfrey's eyes upon them, but nobody spoke up, or yelled, or screamed, or ordered them to get off each other.

Draco didn't relent to the kissing, he loved it when she held his head and kissed him, but he knew now that he had to tell. But she didn't get off; she kept on kissing him, almost as though she had forgotten the whole bargain. He didn't mind, he liked it, in fact, he loved it.

Draco began to roughly kiss Hermione's neck; he groped her head.

"Who knew Hermione Granger would be such a good snogger?" Draco chuckled as soon as they had both separated in exhaustion.

"O shut up." Hermione giggled, her girly features had just been exposed.

"Did Hermione just giggle? In all my life it's never happened!"

"Now it has." And Hermione lunged forward at him again, kissing him as roughly as possible.

"Have you forgotten the bargain so soon?" Draco panted while Hermione took a breathe.

"No, I'm waiting for you to tell me." Hermione said, and then moved herself up to his chest, and sat upon him, separating her legs.

"Of course. I'll tell you tomorrow ok, and for even more information about my killer, you must, o, shall I say, sleep with me for a night, when I go back to my dorm tonight at 10 o'clock sharp."

Hermione hesitated, girls and boys were not allowed in each other's dorms, none the less, the beds. But she really wanted to help him, and she knew by sleep with him, he only meant simply to sleep in the same bed, nothing was going to happen of course. At least, that's what she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Bedtime

Night eventually crawled around the corner, Hermione sat in a chair in the commons of the Gryffindor tower reading about the great ruins of old Hogwarts in her pj's. The big grandfather clock chimed out that it was 9:55, she got up out of the chair and ran up the stairs to the girls dorms, she stuffed her wand in her pocket and grabbed a coffee on her way out of the room.

"Lumos!" she ordered, a strong light appeared at the end of her wand.

She hurried as fast as she could through the Gryffindor entrance hole, down the dark halls without being caught, and finally arrived at the Slytherin entrance.

"Great, no password, I'm such an idiot." Hermione snapped to herself, staring at the snoozing portrait.

"You don't really think I'm that stupid to leave you out here with no password do you?"

Hermione turned to her right and saw a Draco, barely seen, for the candlelight above him was weak.

"Ah, of course, maybe not." Hermione said, she went over to him and embraced him with her arms, hugging him happily.

"Shall we go inside to my private dorm room now?" Draco slyly asked.

"Private? My, my, you sure are asking for a lot these days aren't you?" Hermione replied, and with no word afterwards, Draco said the password and they went through the commons, past the stairs to the girls and boys dorms until they arrived at a door.

"Harry Potter makes me puke." Draco said with his wand. Hermione rolled her eyes, but this was no time to be arguing with her husband to be, this was a time for relaxation. Still hand in hand, Draco and Hermione walked inside of the vast room, it green and silver paint and the Slytherin crest on one of the walls, a white desk, and a King sized bed which was green and silver just like the walls. There was a closet and a bathroom also green and silver.

"Enough staring my lovely." Draco said, he sat down on the bed, and motioned for Hermione to follow. She sat down as well, staring into his eyes, and feeling her heart beating.

Draco leaned down a little to kiss her, but she moved away.

"What's bloody wrong?" Draco asked, he looked hurt, and Hermione felt horrible.

"I don't know, there's a feeling in me that we'll get carried away…" Hermione, rejecting Draco's mere glances.

"Hermione, we won't, I'll make sure we don't." Draco promised.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, after all, he was the one who had invited her.

"Yes, positive."

"Alright then…" Hermione said, looking down at her hand which Draco had grasped with reassurance.

"Great!" Draco said happily, he leaned in to kiss Hermione, and this time she took it, she felt his lips touch her's, they carried on for a bit before Hermione had noticed how intimate they were starting to get, she stopped, Draco looked up at her sadly, but then his promise struck him and he relented.

Thinking that she just couldn't do it tonight, Draco's father could be watching of all she knew. She went to the bathroom to use the toilet, after finishing she went back into the room, to find Draco sleeping on the bed.

Hermione smiled to herself, then went over to him and slept right by his side. Tomorrow was Saturday; they could spend all day together, she wondered what they might do


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Interruptions

It was Hogsmeade Day, Ron and Harry were putting on their robes and pulling money together to console Hermione from whatever had happened the night before by buying her something.

"Wonder whatever happened to Malfoy?" Ron muttered, as he walked through the halls with Harry, along with the other students who were going as well.

"I don't know, probably something strange. Hey, Ron, you're not going to believe what happened underwater yesterday." Pulling a puzzled looking Ron to the end of the line.

"Move on, move on, Potter, that goes for you too Weasley." Professor McGonagall yelled back at them from the front.

"Yes'm" both replied.

"Now, what happened?"

Harry began the explanation of how Ron and Hermione were bound to a rock, how the strange voice had came and challenged him, the fight Harry had won through his mind, everything. After he had finished, Ron and himself had reached the entrance of Hogsmeade, and Ron was turning white all the while.

"What's the voice coming from? Do you know if maybe it was Voldemort or something?"

"Not quite sure yet Ron. We're going to have to find out, with or without Hermione."

"But, Hermione's the brains of our group!" Ron burst out, Harry rolled his eyes at the remark.

"It doesn't mean we don't have **any** brains Ron!"

"Right…"

"Anyway, let's find something for Hermione."

They went into a jewelry shop, when a tall slim woman approached them, she had white hair, a long face, and a grim, no-nonsense expression she began to approach them.

"Er, do you need something miss?"

"You might, Potter. Somebody left this for you." She handed them a slip of paper, folded over. She vanished after the slip was in Harry's hand.

"Odd…strange woman, she stalking you?" Ron muttered.

"Let's hope not Ron." Harry opened the slip; letters began scribbling themselves onto the piece of parchment, Ron's eyes widened at the words.

Diamond's are Pointy

They look good through your head

Ruby's are red

Like your color of blood

Sapphires vary colors

But not Ron's color red

Emeralds are green

Like when you're jealous of Draco

Pearls are white

I'll see you **tonight**

"Um, Ron…"

"You're jealous of Draco!" Ron exclaimed. "You like Hermione!"

"No I'm not!" Harry burst out, then the information began soaking into his brain.

"Tonight something's happening…" Harry mumbled, excusing Ron's remark.

Meanwhile, Hermione and Draco stood side by side on the balcony of the West Wing of Hogwarts.

"I love you, you know." Hermione said, giving Draco a hug, clasping her arms around his waist.

"I know, I love you too."

"Draco, we should do the protective shield now. I don't want your father to ever find us!" Hermione gasped, leaning into Draco's shoulder.

"Ok, let me get the paper I have with the directions. It's just on my nightstand, come with me."

The couple walked down through the empty corridors to his room.

When they opened the door Hermione let out a blood curdling shriek.

"You filthy boy, going around sneaking off with a dirty blooded girl! I thought I taught you well Draco! I guess not. Now I have to teach you," the man growled, "NOT TO HANG AROUND MUDBLOODS!" it was Draco's father, his long, starchy-white hair flying in rage with the speed of his head moving side to side, glaring at the two.

"WHY CAN'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME ALONE YOU-!"

But Draco couldn't finish, Luscious had sent a powerful curse at Draco who flew across the room, head first into the wall. Hermione screamed, and grabbed her wand, but it wasn't there, it had disappeared.

"You dirty little mud blood, you were already filthy, for all God knows; your blood might be black!" He paused for breath.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson too, not to meddle with MY SON!" he bellowed, he sent a curse at her too, then grabbed her, tossing her over on his shoulder and apparated out of the room.

Draco began waking up.

"Hermione? HERMIONE?" then Draco noticed she was gone, and so was his father


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Possessed

It was getting late, and Ron and Harry were re-entering Hogwarts with everybody else, Draco and Hermione seemed nowhere to be found.

"Harry, it's getting late…and, and I think whatever stalker you have is coming really soon!" Ron squeaked, clenching his wand too tightly inside his pocket.

"O calm down Ron, it was probably just a prank from Zonko's."

"Not this time Harry, I've never seen that before!"

"Maybe it's new Ron, just calm down!" But that didn't stop Ron from swishing his head to look at the sides of every wall, through every spare hall, or looking behind him every split second.

"Corollarium." Harry said, telling the Fat Lady the password.

But the Fat Lady was asleep.

"O for Merlin's sake, open the door you obese mass of fat!" Ron yelled, that woke her up, she glared her eyes at Ron and snarled, swinging open the door.

"See Ron, nothing's here." Harry assured Ron, although not proving anything. The dormitory was empty when they entered it, for everyone was downstairs in the Great Hall eating and working on homework.

"I'm going down to the Great Hall before something kills us, meet me down there soon ok Harry?" Ron hesitated.

"Go ahead Ron, I'll get there." Harry said, moving aside the question.

"Ok." Ron opened the door and began running through the commons and out the door. Harry snickered to himself.

_What a worrywart_ Harry chuckled to himself. He began cleaning up around his bed, folding his dirty clothes to put in the bag to wash later the next day. He hummed a little song, not noticing the door creaking open. Footsteps began approaching him, he didn't turn, until a firm grip grasped his shoulder. He stopped, and turned around, dropping his folded socks to the ground.

"G-Ginny?"

Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley family stood before him, standing stalk still, her face a pale white, and her hair more electrifyingly red then ever.

"Ginny, are you all right?"

Without replying, Ginny's eyes began glowing redder and redder, nearly blinding Harry.

Her hair began flying upwards; she folded her fingers into a fist, and punched Harry, her strength and firmness shocking him, he hadn't suspected the blow, he knew she was possessed; he didn't want to hurt her, he staid still and unmoving.

"What's going on? Ginny!" Harry yelled, he hit the wall, his ankle was throbbing, and he could barely see Ginny rushing towards him to kick him, slowly and cruelly, he shrunk into a ball on the ground, at the edge of unconsciousness. Finally, Ginny raised her arm, a wand in hand.

"Torqueo!" she yelled. Harry began twitching non-stop, his eyes nearly closed. Ginny screamed, her eyes flashing red, then hazel, then purple, and then green, it kept on changing, changing into every color in the world. Finally, her arm was jolting, the power of the curse shooting at Harry was getting too strong, her arm finally gave and fell to her side, and the curse stopped, her eyes returned to her natural state, and she fell to the ground, her wand splintering into thin strips, a red Ruby in the center lay on the ground covered in shreds of wood, it sparkled and glittered, then finally turned clear, no color even reflecting off of it.

The two lay unconscious, lying on the ground, their knees bent, their arms close together, their bodies creating the shape…of a heart.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Blood is Shed, To Death she's Led

Hermione awoke in a damp, dark room, her arms were tied together behind her back and she was crumpled in the corner of an invisible chamber. She could see through the walls, a black table, with a silver chair next to it, a small candle had been lit but barely enough light made the room even half visible. She got up hesitantly, her back was sore, and her neck felt like somebody had bent it back too many times.

"Ahh, I see you have awoken, welcome, to my home." A cruel, cold voice that could only be Luscious said. He had apparated in the room; he leaned on the invisible wall.

"Eximo!" Luscious muttered under his breathe, his wand pointed at the "wall", Hermione almost fell over, the barrier had disappeared. Luscious grabbed her wrist and shoved her to him, their nose's inches apart.

"Let me go!" Hermione growled between clenched teeth.

"Never talk to me unless spoken to mud blood!" Luscious snarled, turning his back to her, throwing her wrist away.

"I'll talk when I want!" Hermione yelled.

"Why you filthy-!" He stopped mid-sentence. He turned around, and pointed his wand at her, he mumbled a spell and blood began to spew out her mouth, she tried to stop, but the blood seemed to just cascade out of her, soon so much blood had left her body, she was very pale and pretty soon she toppled over.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"_I Can Help You"_

"I've got to find her!" Draco yelled to himself, he sat on a rock in the middle of a forest.

"Why can't I find her? Hermione!" He shouted, his echo only replied, he buried his face in his hands, tears began falling down his cheeks, dripping into his hands, salty wet tears.

"I'm going to find her! Wherever she is! I'll get her Father, do you hear me!" Draco bellowed into the forest. He stared into the sky and cried, sobbing, he fell to the ground on his knees, he missed her so much! He couldn't bear his life without her, what his sick father might've done, what his life could become without Hermione.

"I'll find you Hermione, if it's the last thing I'll do!" Salty streaks lined his cheeks, his face staring up at the sky. He lay on the grass, feeling dizzy, and then he fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was late in the night, his head still felt drowsy, but he was determined to find his love, Hermione. He stumbled to his feet, and began walking through the thick forest, ignoring the fact that it could take days to get to his house, he couldn't appariate though, he was already on his own property which could not do any appariation unless in the actual house. After walking for nearly two hours, he felt ready to collapse, when suddenly the sound of trotting steps of a horse came in earshot, Draco dashed behind a rock, waiting to see who it was, when the horse came into view he saw it was his mother Rebecca, she sat side-saddle on a brilliant black stallion, she wore a tight, dark green dress and the corset on her waist and chest had been tugged to the extreme for she looked rather pale and ill.

"M-mother…" Draco began, as he crept out from behind the rock, why had his mother gone so far from the house.

"Draco?" her snappy voice did not match her queer appearance.

"Mother, it is I. Father has taken my love." He paused, not telling his mother of Hermione's name, he did not know if it was safe to say.

"It is that Hermione Granger girl, I know she is not pure blood, but I respect you, and I trust that she is good and faithful to you. I understand." She spoke softer now, her voice trembling and fearful.

"But…" Draco looked away, "what about Father."

"Draco, I may be married to Luscious, but I don't know him, I barely speak of him, and of course, I am not very fond of him, as a result Draco, I am not like him in any way possible."

"Hermione is a good person Mother; I wish to marry her one day." Draco said, his eyes again feeling misty."

"Draco, I have longed to see you wed, I have longed to see you accomplish many great things, I love you son, I never really knew you, and your dreadful father had shipped you off to school at early ages, even before your walking had begun. You were home rarely; I had grown tiresome to a rich life. My life, you could say, was empty." She looked down at her horse's mane.

"I felt you were coming today, perhaps to see me, perhaps to save Hermione, I know she is in grave danger, as is I, I've grown ill Draco, I'm young, but painfully ill, and I doubt that my life will exceed much longer. And I sense that today, is my last." His mother explained.

"No! You can't die, today is the first day we have truly met!"

"Draco, I will tell you this, before my death do us part, that your father is a rich and arrogant man, he does not respect you. But I will mention this to you, I can help you, I can give you the one way to over rule your father, he has a weak spot you know."

"Do tell me Mother!"

"He can not bear love, or faith, or kindness, he cannot bond with any kind of sweetness, that is why he never had eaten much sweets when you brought them home from school to share, your father is a very cold hearted man Draco, if you show him love and compassion, he will die, it may sound strange now Draco dear. But you will learn, without love for too long, it grows into an enemy of you, and can kill you as well as save you if not handled carefully, and I highly resent the fact that your Father will allow such love into his life, he believes that love is a waste of time, that money and pride is more important, that pure-blood and appearance is more important, teach him Draco, that love is more powerful then magic!" she gasped for breathe, she was now clinging to the horse for support. Draco looked rather surprised and serious all at the same time, he withdrew his Mother from the horse and laid her on a soft spot of grass.

"Draco, I have always loved you, it may not have seemed that way your whole life, but I did love you, and I will always love you, no matter what happens, death or life, you are always with me." Her voice grew more and more hoarse and quiet. Her eyes we're trembling to stay open, and her mouth was only slightly open, she raised an arm, and stroked Draco's cheek with a hand.

"you have a face like myself, and your eyes, your eyes like my mother's, your hair like your father's I know, but everything else about you, everything else, is just like me, my family, my origin. Never forget that Draco." She said, almost in a whisper.

"No, Mother, please, please don't go!" Draco pleaded, his sight beginning to blur and blur until all was a fuzzy mass in his eyes.

"I love you Draco, never forget that!" she tried to say, but it all came out in a hushed shrill.

"I love you too Mother! Don't go! Please, please!" he moaned, he bent to hug her, her body then grew tense and soundless.

"No!" Draco begged, he shook his Mother, she didn't move, her eyelids had closed, Draco felt like his only real parent had abandoned him.

"I love you." Draco whispered soundlessly. He staggered to stand, got onto the horse and rode full speed to his Father's house.

"I'm going to kill you, and watch you die, I'll laugh to see you miserable Father, even if it makes me cry." Draco hissed in the silence, his horse raced around trees and through valleys and around lakes. Finally, they reached the house, it was a gigantic mansion, with white columns on the sides of the entrance door, the rest of the house was black with white frames on the windows, it was a very luxurious house, but when Draco got off the stallion and took a step forward, he felt like it was worse then the Shrieking Shack.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Once a Fool, Always a Fool

Draco took in a deep breathe, feeling rather foolish, he walked slowly up to the door, wand in hand, the door was locked, figures.

"Alohamora.", Draco commanded, his wand pointed to the door knob, the door immediately unlocked, Draco used his other hand to open the door, it was dark inside, only a few candles had been lit, everything looked dead and dark, like nobody had lived here for years, and yet, two people had lived here, slept here, breathed here. Draco slowly walked through the entrance, remembering his scarce childhood living in this house.

He crept down the halls, it was getting darker and darker, and his Father had probably locked Hermione in the blasted dungeon on the bottom floor. He was about to open the door to the dungeon, free Hermione and live happily ever after, when his Father stepped up behind him and poked his wand straight into Draco's back.

"Ergh…" Draco said, his words muffled into the door, his body pressed against the door.

"I can't believe you had the fight to even come back and try to rescue that excuse of a witch." Luscious snarled, jabbing the wand deeper into Draco's aching back.

"She's more of a witch then you are a wizard _Father_!" Draco spat the last word.

"How dare you!" Luscious growled; he shot a spell, sending Draco up into the air and electrifying him with all the power he could use. Draco shouted in pain. Luscious evilly laughed, finally letting go of Draco, sending the teenager flying back to the ground. Draco was bleeding everywhere, but he didn't give up, he didn't raise his arm, he didn't send a killing curse at his father, he knew, that his Father must die in the most miserable state of death, he wanted to see his Father weaken, his Father beg him for life, his Father all these years had taken life for granted, and now, Draco was going to teach his own Father a lesson he'd never forget.

"I could kill you right now, right here, in your own home, but I've decided in the time I was torturing you, that's I'd make you suffer first."

"I will rescue Hermione, whatever you do, if she dies, so do I!" Draco bellowed at his bluffing Father.

"Well, well, so you have fallen in _love_ with a mud-blood." Luscious sucked in his breathe, and walked a circle around Draco's bleeding body, "I thought higher of you Draco, I thought you would learn the way of a true Malfoy."

"Never, I hate you and our blasted family, Mother was the only good one!" Draco yelled.

"She was worthless, I could never use her for anything, she was too soft, too…Gryffindor-ish. I began hating her for it, she wasn't even human!"

"Of course she was human you bastard!" Draco yelled, he wanted to reach for his wand, now was a perfect chance, but he wanted to kill another way.

"No, not at all, your mother was a fairy; she lived in those blasted forests before she came to Hogwarts! She's a freak, I hadn't known till' days after our marriage, it made me sick to know, I beat her for it, her and her stupid origin. Now you're going to get beaten to death too, for you are too much like your mother."

"Fairy?" Draco gasped; he couldn't hold back confusion now.

"O, why yes, you unlike me, have the blood of a fairy, you hadn't known, I hadn't known, you see," Luscious pulled a knife out of his pocket and struck a line across of his own arm, blood began dripping out, "It's dark, dark, bloody dark, red eh? Now let's see you." Without giving Draco time to run away, he stabbed Draco lightly on the arm as well, blood dribbled out, it was purple.

"Why had I never noticed when I was young?" Draco demanded.

"That, I'm afraid, I cannot tell…" Luscious sarcastically added.

"Well, whatever I am, I'm still going to kill you!" Draco shouted out, trying to stand up was difficult, but he managed.

"I could always shout the killing curse at you right now, but as I said before, I'm going to make you suffer very much first!" with that, Luscious grabbed the back of Draco's shirt and forced him down to where Hermione was.

Draco let out a moan of anger and surprise mixed together when he saw Hermione's bleeding, blood stained body.

"What did you do to her?" Draco shouted at Luscious beginning to raise up his fist, but then thought better of it, his Father then gratefully waved aside the question.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted, he began running towards her, when he ran straight into an invisible wall.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted once more, he pounded on the blocking wall, but she didn't see him, she didn't hear him, it was if she was blind and deaf, she just stared into the space she had.

"Ah, ah, ah, I told you didn't I, you must suffer first, I have sealed her in a cage, all she sees is the surroundings she saw five hours ago, and you of course, are not in it!" Luscious laughed.

"What am I going to have to do to save Hermione?" Draco demanded.

"Ooo, we're getting into bargaining, I hoped one day you would learn the skill. Let's see, perhaps, if you let me throw at curse upon her in front of you?

"Never, I will never let you hurt her, you evil arrogant freak!" Draco glared hatefully at his Father.

"Now, if you'd excuse me, I have some more important things to do right now." Luscious angrily shouted, he was seething mad, with a gust of his long cloak she stormed out the cellar.

Draco couldn't hold his anger in anymore, it was useless even trying, once his Father turned his back he swiftly took out his wand, pointing it at his Father who immediately turned around.

"You're going to kill me aren't you, what a bluff, you as a child were a failure, couldn't hurt a fly, pardon the pun, and now you're going to kill your own Father, can you think of how people are going to treat you when you go back?" His Father teasingly answered.

"Don't push your luck, you're so full of bullocks." Draco barked furiously.

"Fine, kill me, right now, just try, you probably can't, you're useless when it comes to fighting."

"That's not true."

"O, why yes it is, I'll prove it, kill me, right now, I'd like to see you try."

"I will, I can!" Draco shouted, feeling the hot rising up in his body.

"You can't you fool, you can't!"

"You Father, are the weak one, you appear strong, but you can't stand love, who is so weak that they can not bare love and sweetness? It is you! And now, I'm going to expel you from this world before you get worse!"

"Tut, tut, you can not, do you hear me NOW? YOU CAN'T-

"Avada CADAVRA!" Draco screamed, his eyes felt like some kind of magic had sewn his eyes shut while he screamed the cursed spell, all anger shot up, through his wand, it combined with the powerful spell, the shot of green tied with purple (his blood color) burst through, directed at the surprised Father, it hit him like concrete, he flew to the wall, his eyes twittered open and closed, open and closed, then fell, he fell, his life fell altogether.

Draco then realized what he had truly done, with so much rage he hadn't noticed the wrong he had committed, even if his Father was evil, he had still murdered a wizard who coincidentally was his own Father.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Where's Hermione?

After Ron had finished all his dinner, and finally finished his 5,000 word essay for Professor Snape on the Curing Potion he went through the hall, and talked with Neville, but then the two friends had to separate because Neville then remembered that he had forgotten his Book for Divination still in the Great Hall. By now, Ron had overlooked the event of the threat to Harry that had occurred a couple of hours ago, but then remembered when he walked into the Commons of the Gryffindor room first and found his sister Ginny and Harry near death curved into the form of a heart!

"Bloody fucking hell!" Ron yelled, he ran towards the two, desperate for answers, or a reason of the cause at least he did want.

"Ginny!" Ron jostled his sister, but she did not move, "Harry!" Ron shoved his friend to wait for a reaction, none came.

He snapped out his wand, "Please work, don't end up turning my friends into flies!" Ron mumbled, and then murmured a wakening spell, it worked, and he sighed in relief.

"W-What? Ron, the strangest thing happened, it was like my wand took me over, all I can remember is the wand pulling me towards…here."

"Ginny, relax for a second and let Harry wake up and then we'll find out what happened." Ron breathed, resting a calming hand on Ginny's shoulder, her eyes were sputtering red every now and then, Ron ignored it, thinking it was just his eyes that were sending illusions to himself, and many strange things had once again started to happen at Hogwarts, as always.

"Ow…"Harry's voice filled the room, although it was soft, the voice still carried it normal strength.

"Harry, I'm sorry!"

"What for, and who are you?"

"Ron! Harry lost his memory, and it's all because of me!" her eyebrows furrowed, tears sprouting at the corners of her eyes, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"Cripes, Harry, it's Ron and Ginny, we're your friends!" Ron shouted, but instead it all came out in a hoarse whisper.

"Wha-?" Harry muttered, looking dazed, Ron grabbed his shoulders and shook him tremendously.

"O God please let him be alright!" Ron shut his eyes, he prayed, his face turned towards the sky, he felt tears also pricking from beneath his eyelids.

But nothing happened.

"Argh, c'mon Ginny, bring him to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey can bring him back his memory if it hasn't been 48 hours of memory loss!"

"Right! Let's go." Ginny smacked Harry so hard on the head he went unconscious, she took one of Harry's arms and lifted the teen; Ron on the other side. Together they left the dormitory and quickly went to the Hospital Wing. On their way there, Ron turned to face Ginny, her face flushed and tiresome.

"Ginny, where's Hermione? We haven't seen her for quite a while, at first I thought she was still in the Hospital Wing, but that can't be…"

"Last time…"She heaved a heavy breathe, trudging forward, Harry's weight mostly on her side, "I saw her…"she then paused once more, "was when she and Draco…"

"Yes? Continue…"Ron said, his eyes looking anxious. _What was it about that Malfoy that she'd ever liked? _He thought as he waited for a response.

"-when she and Draco were out on the balcony…together." Ginny rushed out in one breath.

"Malfoy…that dirty slimebag!" Ron nearly bellowed if Ginny had not thrown him a rather disturbing glare.

"Draco didn't do anything Ron. He can't have."

"O yes he could've. He's a _Malfoy_ Ginny, remember that!" he hissed Draco's last name bitterly.

"Ron, he's not really a bad person, he only treats Harry like that because he's envious."

"What about me, why do I have to take on his rubbish then? Tell me Ginny, I'm sure he has a "reasonable" excuse for that one!"

"Ron…shut the hell up, calm down, and think about Hermione right now."

Ron was taken aback; the two silently finished bringing the soundless and dazed Harry to the Hospital Wing.

"Again, the friends have returned, only, where is Hermione?" Madam Pomfrey questioned them when they had finally managed to open the tall oak doors while Harry lay more heavily then usual in their arms.

"Um…long story Madam P." Ron gasped, helping Ginny to lift Harry up onto a bed.

"Yes, I suspected just that, what is the problem?" she said, taking a chair to sit beside Harry.

"He's er, lost his memory, seems quite strange if I must say so I, it's most…uncanny." Ginny explained wearily, her face was red, and she mopped a tired hand across her forehead, picking up a bit of sweat. Ron sat down on another bed.

"I see, well, some Memory Renewal should do just the cure, he has not lost his memory for more then 48 hours. am I correct?"

"Yup." Ron answered, Ginny nodded along.

"Alright, give me a minute, I will be back with the potion, do not do anything…risky."

Ron snorted, Ginny bent over while still standing, her breaths were still short and uneven, she was still quite exhausted, Ron seemed fine, but as they are nearly a foot apart, it showed that the weight of Harry should have more been on Ron's side than Ginny's. Silent minutes passed, Ginny was wondering where her dear friend Hermione was, while Ron plotted in his head to attack Draco and turn him back into a ferret as he should've stayed; back in fourth year.

"Ok, you two move back, the smell is rather…er, unpleasant." Madam said at first, her nose was pinched with a clothespin which looked painful, and she wore protective gloves all the way up just a little past her elbows. Ron backed away onto the bed behind his, while Ginny only pretended to take one measly step backward.

Madam Pomfrey began pouring some kind of purple/green, clumpy, and o such a putrid stench kind of mixture down Harry's throat, she tilted his head back, and making sure he would not choke on it. Ron had nearly gagged, he plugged his nose, and fastened his mouth shut, but Ginny showed no sign of disgust (which was rare), she just gazed back and forth between Harry and a closed window, it didn't seem much like her at all, perhaps she was thinking about Hermione, where was that girl anyway?

(Draco)

Still staring at his father's soundless body, he felt like a gigantic rock had just dropped into the bottom of his stomach. He had just killed his father, after he freed Hermione he knew, although his hate towards Luscious was exceedingly strong, he still felt guilt, even a smidgen of regret. He tried to shake the horrible thought out of his head. Stepping over the body, not looking down, Draco went to the door, walking down the cold gravel steps to the dungeon. The spell had been broken now that the spell-caster had just died, so Hermione was sitting in the corner, shuddering and dried blood cast all over her skin.

"Hermione." Draco whispered, nearing closer and closer. Her eyes looked lost, like wandering black pits with no sense of humanity inside them.

"It's me, Draco."

But Hermione didn't stir, she was huddled into a ball, her arms wrapped so tightly around her legs that her knuckles had turned white, her hair was matted together into thick, separated strands, and her skin was bruised, callused, and bleeding.

"Hermione?" Draco began to worry, what had happened while he had been gone? Did the spell back fire, or cause destruction upon the person within the invisible cage?

Draco felt even worse, he had just killed his father, seen his mother die, and now he didn't know if he was going to lose Hermione. He wanted to cry out in frustration, and pain, and hurt, and he did, he felt his heart pounding violently and yet, Hermione seemed as if she didn't realize what was going on. Draco was knelt on the ground beside her. He tried to touch her shoulder, but she resisted, she withdrew, and cowered even closer back into the corner.

It was the first time Hermione had done this to him in a long while, Draco felt like knives were stabbing into him. He reached out to her again, this time; she slapped his hand away fiercely. His nerves left his hand, and the pain grew and grew. It was red, beginning to swell.

"Hermione, why are you doing this? What happened?"

Then, Hermione muttered the words that Draco dreaded to ever hear, the words he knew that might appear during this relationship. He knew something would separate them all along, he never knew what would do it, or when, but now he knew.

_"I never want to see you again Malfoy." _Her voice was empty, cold. Draco backed away, her piercing glare drove into him like a stampede of wild creatures. He went farther and farther away from her, she looked so possessed, he couldn't bear it, he loved her, yes, he did, but he couldn't bear her words, coming from her mouth, from her mind, he fled out of the wretched house, climbed onto the stallion and went as fast as he could through the woods, the horse looked like a bolt of lightning, dodging all the trees as if there was no tomorrow. His face was flushed, he felt sick, he felt drained of all happiness he'd ever felt with Hermione, he lost it all, he took a dagger hidden in its sheath under his cloak, and gently pierced his wrist, the blood beginning to flow out, so much blood had left his body, he couldn't remember how much, before long, he fell off the pounding horse, and dropped onto the cold ground. _He seemed dead, and in a way, he was. _


	15. Chapter 15

Over the course of a year, Hermione became her regular self. It was as if she had blasted back to their 5th year where Draco still reigned has her top #1 enemy. She was still friends with Harry, Ron, and the others, but her memory of Draco (her used-to-be fiancé) was over. This, as you know, was very depressing.

Harry, the usual good human he was, befriended Draco, realizing that the only reason Draco had always been rude and uncivilized to him was because of his father, so Draco really had nothing to do with it. It was much tougher for Ron though, considering how Mr. Malfoy made a very fine point of digging out secrets of the Weasley family and sharing it in front of as many people as he could.

Every morning starting the 7th year, Draco sat alone for classes, lunch, and mostly everything else. Even Crabbe and Goyle left their noble status as Draco's body guards, they were now simply their "own man". After the word that Draco had murdered his own father spread around, the whole Slytherin house were his enemy, on the other hand, now all the Gryffindors were his best friends. Too bad his mother wasn't here to see this. Even though Harry was now one of his best friends, there wasn't that much the bloke could do. Sure, sure, they were good friends, and Ron wasn't too bad of chap after all, but it wasn't the same, they were in different houses, with different class schedules, and different friends. Hermione was one of them.

She seemed to ignore Draco whenever he was in her presence to the extent that she'd try to "walk through him". This indeed didn't work.

Instead of the used-to-be "Good morning!" from Hermione, it was now nothing but a turn with her hair flying about, or a simple nod, where their eyes didn't even meet. She was sneaky indeed when it came to talking with Draco. Especially during classes when the teachers would desperately try putting the two together for projects, of course, Hermione put up quite a fight if she could.

"But Professor McGonagall, I can do this simple bit of magic by myself! I don't need help at all." Hermione would protest, shrugging off the fact that Draco was standing right behind her, feeling rather rejected.

"That may be true Ms. Granger," the Professor would calmly begin, "but Mr. Malfoy may need help. And you, Ms. Granger, are the perfect one for the job." With a brisk nod, Professor McGonagall would walk away, quickly turning around to give Draco a quick nod for him to try his best.

"Humph." Draco heard Hermione stifle under her breath.

"Look Hermione-"

"Don't call me by my first name Malfoy!" she'd yell. It felt like a sudden stab in the heart to Draco.

"I'm going to call you whatever I please _Hermione_." Draco shouted back, pulling his wand from his pocket to begin their project.

"Malfoy, I want nothing to do with you, you made my first couple of years here a living hell, and I don't need you in my life any more then you are now! Understand?"

The silence between the two began, and it stayed that way until Draco hollered the new spell they had just learned.

_"Adsequor institutum!" _Draco bellowed at a sponge and dish, it immediately followed his movements with his wand and the sponge began cleaning the dish.

"That was good." Hermione said finally while Draco closed off the spell. He smiled with pride, the first compliment from her since a long time; this was a new high record.

"…for a beginner." She mumbled under her breath.

"Excuse me," Draco sighed, resting an elbow on his chair as he sat down, "for my ignorance."

"Just kidding. Gawd Malfoy, have you no humor?" laughed Hermione; she sat in her chair and stared at the dish.

"Really?" Draco said, astonished by his good fortune.

"Ya. Now, practice your spell a couple more times, you're not near as good as Ron's mum. Just remember to point, flick, and swish!" Hermione advised, then her expression fell back to that of the previous few weeks.

"C'mon, get on with it!" she mumbled at last, blushing by the fact that Draco was grinning like crazy at her.

Draco tossed his head about a bit, to check that he wasn't in fact dreaming, then smiled, nodded and began his spell a few more times."

_"Adsequor institutum! Adsequor institutum! Adsequor institutum!" _Draco said, over and over again, until the point where the sponge would simply fall apart if it was brought to the dish one more time. If only Draco could do this spell upon Hermione, and make her do anything he pleased.

Yet, alas, all good things had to come to end, once the bell rang, Hermione shot from her desk (bag in hand) and rushed out to her next class.

"Damn." Said a voice from behind him. It was Ron.

"Hey. Ya, she ran off from me as if I had a disease. Fuck my father." Draco cursed to himself. Pushing some random magic books into his bag.

"Ya, I know. Don't worry about it, I watched you and her during class, she'll come around, she always does." Ron had that same look that Draco had when he thought of Hermione, it scared me to think what was possibly true.

"Ron…do you fancy Hermione?" Draco dared ask, pinching himself for digging deeper into something he really didn't want to know.

"Oh…well, I know it's really uncomfortable for me to say,"

_'No kidding!' _Draco wanted to blurt out.

"But…I do. Since first year…she just has that…o, I'm sorry. Are you ok with it? I know she's off limits, I won't try anything…you know that right?"

"Ya, of course. I trust you!" Draco replied happily. Although, he was still unsure what to think.

"Ok. Good."

The two were silent as they fialed out the now-empty classroom. Draco was still thinking about Hermione when the two boys heard a blood curdling scream.

"That's Hermione!" the two shouted, staring at each other. They dropped their books and began sprinting towards the screaming.

"Hermione?" Ron yelled, but no reply. They busted through bunches of doors but couldn't find her until they came into a dark corridor tucked behind a larger hall. There was Hermione, she was sprawled across the ground next to Ginny.

"Oh my fucking God!" Draco cursed, staring over his beloved.

Ginny was just beginning to wake up when a crash erupted from the other door, in came a distressed Harry.

"I heard a scream. What happened?"

"No idea." Ron and Draco replied in unison. The three boys stared at their unconscious friends, nervous on what to do next.

"We should bring them to Madam Pomfrey."

"Again?" Ron asked irritably, "she won't do much good, she didn't even know what had happened to you the first time."

"O ya…" Harry couldn't help but remember the fatal day when all his memory was erased when Ginny had been possessed. So many things had happened just last year, he could barely contain it all. Ginny's strange mishaps, the whole thing between Draco and Hermione, Ron and his hidden fancy for Hermione, everything revolved around itself. Harry almost got a headache just thinking about it.

"Well then, what are we going to do?" Draco finally cut in, beginning to pull Hermione's still body.

"Ginny's starting to wake up." Ron noticed. The young wizards turned to see Ginny sitting up against the wall, this time her eyes were flaring red.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, trying to wave his hand in front of her, she didn't even flinch. Instead she stood up quickly, and began walking out the corridor somewhere else.

"Where is she going? Did she hurt Hermione?" demanded Draco furiously, trying to carry Hermione and watch Ginny leave at the same time.

"Ron, go after her."

"You too, Harry. I can bring Hermione to her dorm myself."

"Fine. Let's go." With that, Harry and Ron went racing after Ginny, in hopes to find an answer to all this strangeness. Draco was still carrying Hermion's limp body in his arm, and he so badly wanted to kiss her. To feel her soft lips against his again, it had been so long since their last kiss, and he couldn't help…but kiss her. And every second he was, kissing his only love, was like hours or heaven for him. Her eyes were closed, but as he held her so close to him, cradling her body, a small tear erupted from a corner of her eye and dropped to the ground.

"Don't cry Hermione, I'm here…" he whispered hoarsely. Draco Malfoy would always be there for her, no matter what….

A/N Sorry for the short chapter this time guys. I'm trying, but I want you to know what's happening before I continue! My story's getting confusing, so bear with me, I seriously need to revise. Lol… "


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione woke up, crumpled slightly in a ball, held in the arms of Draco Malfoy. She immediately jumped at the sight of him and removed herself from his warm arms. He seemed to be sleeping, slumped across the wall. Were they in a corridor?

Why was she with Draco! Of all people, Draco Malfoy! Suddenly, he began groaning and shuffling around on the ground, eyes still closed.

"Hermione…don't go…I love you…"

She took a double take at him and blinked dumbly.

"Wait…what?" she snapped, kneeling down.

"Don't go Hermione…" he continued to mumble to himself, beginning to reach out. Hermione couldn't help but blush, feeling that the hall was starting to heat up significantly.

"Um…I'm here…" she replied quietly, checking to make sure no one could hear her.

"Hermione…don't do this to me…why did you-" he began, but the rest of his words were slurred, she wanted badly to hear the rest of it.

"We were almost married Hermione…" he moaned, sweat beginning to break out, "I'm sorry!"

Baffled and confused, Hermione sat next to him. With a trembling hand, she took his hand and held it.

"Hermione…" his voice began to lighten, "I love you…don't go."

Hermione sat pondering the situation.

Almost married? Sorry? Whatever was he sorry for? Suddenly, Draco's eyes fluttered open, beads of sweat still on his forehead.

"Hermione?"

Hermione then noticed that she was still tightly holding his hand. She withdrew it quickly, only to receive a hurt expression in return.

"Um…you were talking in your sleep…" she explained, trying to change her attitude. His eyes pierced into hers, and she stared as his lips began quivering.

"I…love you Herm-"

"Stop!" she cried. She gasped in surprise at her loud remark, and quickly swatted her right hand over her mouth. Hermione swore she saw small tears that were being blinked back behind those grey eyes.

"But…"

"Enough!" and with that, Hermione tore herself from his gaze and stormed away, confused, surprised, and sadly enough, blushing like a madman.

"Hermione…" Draco called desperately, still sitting on the ground of the corridor. He remembered the night before when he kissed her lips, something he had not done in a very long time. And now she had torn his heart out, once and for all. He wanted to die, but why be so dramatic? Why not make a love potion? Why not?

His thoughts turned into a furious experiment. He had jumped from the ground to the potions classroom, stolen all the main ingredients plus a cauldron and ran back to the dorms.

Many Slytherins smirked at him as he sprinted to the room, he jammed the bottles into a bag and rushed back down the moving stairs to the bottom dungeon, a place only he knew how to enter.

On his way down, sack in hand, he abruptly stopped in front of the dungeon door.

"Alohomora." Although the spell was rather easy and any young wizard or witch could do it, the spell was different when he said it here. He never knew why his words came out in a different language when he opened the door to the dungeon but he finally understood when his father told him he was more fairy than wizard. The language he could speak at will was Fiara, in other words called Fairy Speak, a small language that only the gifted and blessed could converse in. Even some of the most elite and educated wizards in the world wouldn't be able to pronounce just one word of Fiara.

The great black door began creaking up and he merely slid through before it snapped shut once more. The room was dark (as usual, it was a dungeon), and only a small lamp lit the huge empty room. The last time he was there was a good three years ago and many of the simple furniture he had moved in were catching dust. Taking a step forward he lightly scanned the room for his favorite boiling cauldron. Finding it stacked beside only a few hundred spell books he removed the dust from the insides and blew the dust away from books one by one, searching for the perfect potion.

The night ended wearily as Draco continued to stir his cauldron with his spoon, watching the bubbles file out in an orderly fashion.

"Hermione…you're all mine…" he whispered repeatedly, although beginning to question his hopes once midnight hit and his potion still hadn't turned that apple green color yet. Suddenly, a ring of smoke popped from within the mixing concoction, signaling it was done. And indeed, as Draco peered into the cauldron's contents, a fruity green color boiled inside the pot.

A frantic smile spread on his face as he quietly did a victory dance. He magically lit out the fire and spooned some of the potion and froze it then placed it into a tiny plastic container before smothering it in melted chocolate to disguise it.

As he traveled through the now empty and dark corridors his mind and thoughts resorted to those of his poor mother. Who was so lost in despair of her own that she'd drawn herself mad and finally reached the skies above, a place she was finally free. Just the visualization of Narcissa's calm red hair and long lashes reminded him just how much he had really loved his mother apart from how much she had hidden from him. What would have happened if he hadn't met with her just a few moments before her death? Would he still not know about his true self? Was there more she had hidden? But it was too late now, his last chance had failed him. More or less, he had also failed.

The more thoughts that swirled around in his head the more memories returned. Memories that had been embedded so deep into his heart it hurt just to bring them back out again. Along with these memories he remembed a tragic love story his mother had shared with him when he was but a small boy.

It was called _Over the Bridge_

_"Once upon a time there was a young girl named Fiora, she was a young maiden just off the land of the wee folk. She was a fairy herself and had traveled all the way from the South of her land to the North and finally out of the borders. She vowed she'd return after she found her soul mate. All the while, there was human soldier man who'd been assigned the most dangerous task within the country. To kill a fairy and return it's body. It was said by the priests and highest nobleman that only the blood of a fairy could save the Queen's daughter now, and it was his duty to bring back the body. As he crossed over a few more fields he spotted the most beautiful creature he'd ever set eyes on. She had flowing blonde tresses and he could see her glistening green eyes from where he stood." Narcissa explained. Her voice was full of strength and focus while her face showed no signs of emotions. She took a breath for drama before her young son Draco popped in._

_"What happened then Mommy?" _

_"Well, love, their eyes met and they instantly fell in love. Some say that as they crossed the bridge to meet, young Fiora tripped upon a rock and fell right into the rushing white waters below. And in pure angst, her new lover followed and they died together. But I really prefer the other version…"_

_"What's the other one Mommy? Tell me, tell me!"_

_"I'm getting there love." Paused Narcissa, she took one more breath before finally continueing, "As Fiora turned her head she met eyes with the gorgeous soldier. She soon discovered that his name was Edmond, son of William and brother of Ella. There was a bridge that hung between them as they stepped closer to one another from the other sides of a deep but narrow stream. As they slowly crossed the bridge they instantly fell in love. The two traveled over the lands together until Edmond remembered his task. The horror of knowing he had to kill his own true love for the sake of another woman he didn't even know made him weak and he was found ill for the next day. Under request he finally told Fiora the news and she fainted in anguish. She told him she wouldn't want him to be found in danger and be taken to be hanged and promised him that they would meet again someday. He refused and they fought about what was good for whom and whom deserved what. Finally in the end Fiora ran away in the middle of the night and killed herself by falling from a branch of a tall tree. When Edmond awoke the next morning he discovered her dead boy and grieved over his loss. He'd lost his one and only love and for this he felt he could live no longer. He buried her body by the stream and crossed onto the bridge staring over into the rushing waters below. Closing his eyes he leaned across the stone railings and heaved himself across. His commit of suicide hadn't been found until many weeks later when a search party had been sent out. The bridge the two lovers had crossed to meet one another was known as a legend and can still be found sitting over the narrow river in a place called…Hogwarts."_


	17. Chapter 17

He was finally here.

The Head Girl's and Head Boy's dorm room.

He had to make sure he didn't wake Blaise Zabini who was the Head Boy or else he'd know that Draco was actually trying to get the affection of a girl through force…

Through force…

'_Do I really want Hermione to fall in love me with through a potion?'_

_'_**Of course! Are you mad?'**

His voices were yelling within him. Fighting for their master to pick a choice.

'_But then it won't be real! Then I'll have to make potions every month so she'll always be in love with me!'_

_'_**What are you implying you dickhead? This is Hermione were talking about! You're only love, the only one who understands you for you!'**

**'**_But she loved me just for me! She didn't need a potion before…why can't she just love me again'_

_'_**Who cares-'**

**'**_Shut up!'_

That was that.

Like a pouncing animal Draco put the chocolate onto the ground and stomped it with his foot. The potion he had made crushed beneath him and it seemed like his last chance had died right before him.

He gave up. It as the only way. If Hermione really didn't want him anymore than what could he do?

It was his blasted father's fault! That fucking bastard, removing all memory of Draco from her! If only…if only he could turn back time.

silence

"Malfoy?" a girl's voice whispered. He flipped around, darting his eyes through the thick darkness. At last he recognized it.

Hermione.

"Herm-Granger? What are you doing up so late?" He turned on his evil side so she wouldn't suspect him. If his love could never be returned…why try? Why not become the jerkish Malfoy Hermione had always thought him to be, at least until she had fallen in love with him. If only he could turn back time…

"I…I heard thumping noises from my bedroom." She retorted. Draco could see her blushing. If only he could hold her face again and tell her he was making thumping noises because he didn't want to force her love.

"It was nothing Granger…go back to sleep."

"I couldn't sleep anyway. Do you want to come in?"

Because Draco had returned to his evil side again he was very close to saying "Ya right mudblood! What're you going to do? Rape me! I think not." But he knew that'd probably just start some bickering and Hermione would hate him forever.

"Sure."

Gingerly, Draco stepped through the entrance hole with Hermione ahead. She was wearing a thin nightgown with a robe over it and he could hear the slight swishing of her pink bunny slippers as she shuffled towards the fire.

"Here, sit. Do you want anything to drink? I have hot chocolate…"

"Sure. I don't care."

As Hermione shuffled away towards the common room table he watched her fixedly while she chopped up a few pieces of chocolate into each cup and poured in some water.

"Would you like milk?" She asked calmly, about to zap up a milk carton with her wand.

"Huh?" replied a dazed Draco, he was just studying her gorgeous legs, "Oh. Sure…sure."

She nodded in approval and smiled to herself before placing the two cups over the fire to melt the chocolate and heat the water.

"We've never talked like this before…" she began sadly, seating herself into the other chair to face him.

Her hair was in loose curls and the top half had been divided from the bottom half with a soft, pink ribbon.

"We have…" Draco softly murmured under his breath but Hermione, keen as always had heard both words.

"What? No…I would've remembered." Hermione had crinkled her eyebrows with a confused expression.

_She really doesn't remember…_Draco thought sadly, eyeing her carefully. His cruel exterior melted as softly as the chocolate and he couldn't reject her any longer…even though he had only been doing it for the past 10 minutes or so.

Before he could realize it the whole issue rolled out from his tongue and once he had finished Hermione sat wide eyed and expressionless before him.

"I, you, we…" she looked at the ground and panted wearily, unable to think nor breath, "NO!" she erupted angrily, "No…no…nononono, that can't be! It can't! I was with Ron! We were together! Not you! Stop trying to confuse me!" Tears were sprouting from her eyes as she said this.

_So Father had changed her memory from being with me to being with Ron Weasley. That selfish prick! _

"Hermione!" Draco fell from his seat and kneeled before her. She had begun sobbing and her breaths had become choppy and short.

"Hermione…Hermione…it wasn't Ron you were with." He paused and stared into her eyes, "It was me."

Hermione P.O.V

Malfoy was a crazy pervert. A crazy, selfish, pureblood, pervert!

Suddenly she sucked up enough courage and looked him in the eye, cold and hard.

"Malfoy…get out! Get out!"

The look of his eyes which had turned a pale blue changed back to a misty grey and he stood up to tower over her.

"What the bloody fucking hell! I tell you all that and you tell me to leave?" he demanded angrily, about to grab her and start shaking her.

"GET OUT!" she screamed. Finally she got up from her chair and tried to look noble.

"Malfoy…I don't want to hear anymore of your stupid lies! Now get out before I call for Professor McGonnagall!" she huffed angrily. She stood up to her full height and pointed her nose up high in front of him. With her hands set at her hips and a high nose she represented an utterly pompous girl.

Suddenly, out of no where, a groggy Blaise Zabini began slowly walking towards them from his stairwell. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and noticed Draco standing with Hermione.

"Draco? What're you doing here?" he droned, both eyes barely open.

Draco turned to face Hermione and she did the same, wondering what to do.

He scowled at her, the first time she'd ever seen a scowl from him since almost two years ago. Now that she had thought about…what had happened to Malfoy in the last year? It was as if he had disappeared completely from memory. She could only remember Ron and Harry.

He gave a stony glare to Hermione before replying to Blaise as he murmured, "I was _just _leaving, thanks."

He turned quickly and his robe flew up furiously as he exited the common room and quickly walked down the empty corridors.

Draco's P.O.V

'I can't believe she didn't believe me! She actually thought I was lying!' Draco viciously thought. Not just that but instead of remembering him and her being together her memory had been changed to thinking Ron had been her boyfriend.

He stopped in the halls to rest, his fast breathing had been caused by his fast escape and he didn't even want to remember her expression as she yelled for him to leave.

'Granger…' he began to think, crumpling into the stone wall and burying himself within the darkness, 'What are you so goddamn stubborn!' he wanted to yell but merely hissed as he threw a fist into the stone. With a curse the pain shot through him and he really wanted to die right there.

After staring off into the darkness for some time he fell asleep and toppled over, hugging the wall and quietly moaning in despair.

'Why can't this all just be a nightmare so I can wake up?' he silently dreamed. But it wasn't a nightmare, it was reality.

Hermione's P.O.V

Hermione tossed and turned in her bed as she thought over what had just occurred. She had Blaise drank Draco's cup of hot chocolate and had brought her's up with her to her bedroom.

She'd drained the cup of its contents and rested the still scented mug upon the top of her dresser and yawned before climbing under the covers.

After turning the lights off she opened the small window next to her bed and lazily watched the moon's rays bounce off her ceiling towards the ground.

She could still clearly recall something Draco had said that really struck a nerve.

_Hermione…Hermione…it wasn't Ron you were with. It was me._

It was impossible though! It had to be! She was with Ron! She could still remember everything!

They had done so many things together like…

Suddenly Hermione realized she was at loss for words. What had they done? What fun things had they experienced together?

She racked her brain for answers but resulted with none. Was Malfoy telling the truth? Had she really been with him instead? Had she really been in love with a Malfoy?

She gave out an exaggerated groan and thumped her head against her pillow as hard as she could, tightly squeezing her eyes closed as if this would make her problems disappear. After an hour of no sleep she drifted off to Cloud 9 and began dreaming.

_Hermione was sitting in an office chair in front of a desk in her best office outfit. She had her papers all filled out and awaited her fate from her hopefully-soon-to-be boss. _

_"You have an interest in becoming an Auror I hear." A man's voice began slowly. His chair was swiveled around so Hermione couldn't see his face but the voice was oddly recognizable._

_"Yes! I've been looking forward for this moment ever since I began school in Hogwarts!" _

_"Good, good. I'll just need you to answer a few of my questions…"_

_"Certainly!" Hermione replied with a chipper voice. The chair slowly to reveal the man and she gasped in shock._

_"Granger, tell me why you won't believe me!" Draco Malfoy bellowed in anger. Without any warning he threw a knife right into her face and she fell over dead. _

Hermione woke up with a start, beads of sweat had begun trickling down her face and her heart was beating out of control.

"Great Malfoy, you even haunt me in my dreams…"


	18. Chapter 18

It really didn't make sense for her and Draco to have really been a couple. Was it even possible for two people of such opposite caliber to be in such a scandalous affair?

She shuddered just to picture the two of them hand in hand.

The morning had come much too slowly since Hermione hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. She could already hear Blaise groggily waking up so she figured it was about time to get up as well.

Hot water was streaming off her body while she took a nice, refreshing shower, she tried to wash away last night's events but they came up with the steam and went right back into her head.

"Just, don't think about it…Just, don't!" she muttered to herself, massaging her conditioner in.

By the time she'd finally left her comforting shower she wrapped herself in a towel and shuffled back to her room to change.

With a scream she jumped back into the bathroom with a startle and nearly dropped the towel in whole.

"B-Blaise…what are you doing here?" she huffed out in great breathes. He was wearing a bathrobe and his hair was still wet.

"Come here…I need to tell you something." His voice was set emotionlessly so Hermione was quite unable to tell whether this was some kind of trick.

Taking one careful step forward, fastening her towel even tighter he whispered something about Draco.

"What? Speak up." She ordered, leaning back to face him with a steady eye. He hesitated then whispered a little bit louder.

"Draco said to meet him at the Quidditch Field at exactly 8:37am."

"Are you kidding me? What does Malfoy want at precisely 8:37? Tell him I decline his proposal and I ask of him to kindly bugger off!"

Blaise stared at her, trying to start another order but she cut him off and shoved him right through the door before closing it with a slam.

"Malfoy…you say this! You say that! You want this! You want that! What's to become of you, not to mention me!" she cried, loud enough for anybody outside of her window to hear.

"What about me?" she heard a voice say coldly. With a scream (yet again), Hermione turned to see Draco dripping wet in his Quidditch robes, broom in hand. He had apparently just flown up into her room.

"M-Malfoy! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!"

"What about…no." With a silent stride towards her he grasped her two wrists tightly and forced her back until her back and arms were to the wall. His face was only inches away and she could smell the musky scent of sweat about him.

Beginning to lean in, Hermione's eyes remained wide open, fully aware of his intentions.

"NO! STOP! MALFOY! STO-" but she was interrupted by kiss forced right onto her mouth. At first she fought against it, trying to open her mouth to say something but that only allowed him to slip in his tongue which she definitely did not wish. Squirming about she finally lifted a knee and struck it right between his legs.

"BLOODY FUCKING HELL!" was his obvious bellow. Her wrists were released on impact and she could feel the blood finally circling around her hands.

"Leave! Now!" she ordered, pointing towards her door. Suddenly she saw him crack a smile as he sat huddled on the floor soon beginning to laugh a laugh more than she'd ever heard from such a sullen creature.

"What are you laughing about? Leave at once!" Right afterwards she felt a breeze tingle around her whole body.

"My…god…no way…" looking down with a cautious glance she noticed that her towel had now fallen right down to the ground. Too busy screaming about how stupid Malfoy was and trying to find some clothes she had turned around to face her dresser and had completely forgotten Malfoy's actual existence.

She didn't remember until she felt a pair of arms around her waist.

"Don't touch me." She hissed without turning.

"No." with a hard tug he pulled her away and shoved her onto her bed whilst still in a towel.

"Don't you dare Malfoy."

"I dare."

"Don't do this Malfoy. You'll regret it! You surely will!"

"I regret nothing, Hermione."

He had said her name, audible, clear, and yet he remained completely unfazed.

"What did you say Malfoy?"

"Are you bloody deaf?"

"No…you called me Hermione."

There was an awkward pause.

"So? That's your name right, HERMIONE?"

"Well, yes, it is."

"Do you mind it so very much that I call you Hermione?"

"Well, no, not at all have I guessed…but still this is kind of a change…" Hermione whispered. Her grip on her towel was slowly easing and finally it had relaxed to slightly fall off, exposing a bare thigh.

"Exactly…a good change right?" he whispered only quiet, staring at the bare hip that had just been depicted in front of him.

"Y-yes…" was her now barely perceptible reply. She had relaxed so very much that her legs had slightly separated from their bent and tightly closed form and Draco could now see more then he had hoped.

Her breasts had slightly pushed the tight towel off and now a deep crevice was extremely noticeable.

"Hermione…?"

"Yes…D-Draco?"

"Can I sit there?" he asked slowly, nodding towards the side of her bed.

She was uncertain whether to say yes or no. His embarrassed expressions at asking such simple questions made her blush and finally she said it was alright. He sat beside her and slowly began taking off the top coat from over his Quidditch uniform.

"What are you doing?" was Hermione's now loud voice. She had jumped up at his act and now was tightly holding her towel.

"Hermione…we really were lovers you know…look at me." He said, noticing that she had turned away.

"Don't lie to me Malfoy."

She had said Malfoy but Hermione only noticed after it was already out. It quieted the room and Hermione almost instantly regretted such an act.

Still facing the window she then heard the sound of shoes and then her door opening. She turned, Draco was leaving!

He was about to step out when she jumped up, revealing all as the towel once again dropped.

"Wait! Don't…don't go!" she called. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she felt a bit dizzy, exclaiming such a thing in such pure nudity.

At the very sound of her voice Draco froze and turned.

"Why?"

"B-because…I want to know…the truth, and if it's really true…then…then…" suddenly she felt a blow against her uncovered body. Draco had come and embraced her tightly.

"Well, I-I'm not sure…if it's…don't do this until…um…um…" she couldn't think of anything to say, she blinked in fear, wondering if this was appropriate. With trembling hands she raised them to embrace him back. He winced but she noticed he immediately calmed and tightened his hold.

The door was soon closed and locked and Draco was sitting by Hermione who had now clothed herself in her robes.

Leaving out the most gruesome parts of the battle at his father's house, Draco tried his best to tell the story of their passionate though dangerous relationship.

At moments Hermione felt he was about to break out in tears but he was holding it in rather well and she began thinking if SHE could hold it in any longer. This had to be true…not even a writer could think of something this dramatic, or something this…real.

From that second Hermione knew at once that Draco wasn't telling a lie that this was all true, that for once he had really opened his heart to her even if it meant that he was exposed and vulnerable to everyone else. And without going through the steps of a relationship or building up to any kind of foundation she jumped up and embraced him tightly.

"You're telling the truth, now I know! Forgive me for before! Let me try and be your lover…that's all I want please.!" were her muffle of words between her sobs.

"Hermione!" he cried into her shoulder, "I'm so…so…"

She moved her head to face him with a small smile on her face and tears streaming down, "I know. I want to make up for all the hurt I caused you…I want to make you happy so I can be happy so there's no more hurt or pain or lies anymore. I just want something…real."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N, my dear readers! Thank you soooooo sooooo much for continuing on with this story. I couldn't be more thankful…well, I guess I could if got more REVIEWS! 800000+ hits yet only 16 reviews. I should be appalled indeed! C'mon guys, those reviews are what's paying for the next chapters! Review, review, review!**

Hermione couldn't differentiate whether she hated him, liked him, or loved him. Her mind was in too much of a blur half the time she was with him to figure out anything at all. He'd often leaned in to kiss her in private but she resisted. He looked hurt, but he grew to understand that they had to start from the beginning…not what they already had experienced from their history.

Due to Hermione's concern of what people would think (even though everybody already knew except for her) she would only meet Draco in private. The stone bench behind the gardens was her favorite but couples would always be found snogging at night which she found intimidating so she scheduled for 3:00 meet ups. If you will.

"Why did you like me in the first place? Like, from the very beginning." She asked, wishing she could know more about the past.

"I don't know really. It was a long time ago. But I remember that you had something in you that I wanted. I guess, you kind of a had a fire. Whenever rain would pour you'd still carry that light in you, like, you didn't really give a shit. You know?"

She nodded, not actually fully understanding.

"You have no idea what I meant did you?" he laughed aloud, turning to face another direction.

With a trembling hand she lightly touched his face, he jumped, and turned his head to face hers again before she gave a small smile. He stared, quite baffled and confused. But he was more purely and insanely in love with her than anything else.

He neared in for a kiss, hoping she'd finally relent…she did.

The kiss was light, short, so he broke away, knowing she needed her space. There was a pause afterwards, a sparkle-in-the-eye kind of moment.

With one last gaze of silence, Hermione neared in again for a kiss, this time leading the way. Creating the path that she wanted him to follow, she wanted something. Not sure what she wanted she deepened the kiss, slowly but surely raising her hands so one could hold his face and the other could rest on the back of his head, feeling the silkiness of his hair.

"I love you…" he moaned aloud after a few seconds of the kiss itself.

She stiffened at this, and he took notice. Breaking away he took her fallen hands in his and gave a breath.

Hermione could tell that his eyes held more than sadness, and of all things it had to be pity. She hated pity; it was like a donation of love, or charity work for the hopeless. She hated that feeling of someone doing something for her not because they cared but because they wanted that self fulfilling glory of "helping" somebody of lesser "value". That look…that word…pity…it disgusted her.

"Don't look at me like that." She turned, about to get up.

He firmly grasped her wrist, holding her back. But she didn't turn, she kept her head raised and continued looking on. Suddenly he let out a light laugh.

"There's that fire again, burning within you. You keep your pride well maintained I see." He continued to jive.

"I beg your pardon. But, as they say, Pride sullies the noblest character."

"There it is again." He laughed once more, "I take it you're not enjoying my humor." He continued, eyeing her posture.

"You take correctly."

There was another awkward silence as the two were both confused on how to continue this conversation that had clearly died and failed without even another fight to go on.

"Draco?" Hermione asked, finally turning, eyeing him with a look of pure curiosity, "Is it possible…to fall in love again?"

"I don't see why not since you've forgotten all about our history this is practically a first love for you."

"I meant you. You still remember everything. Every goring detail, every memory, what if I bore you by repeating things?" her voice came out shaky near the end.

"Are you scared of that?" He said, trying to cover his smile. Finally, she cared about what he thought of her. Step one up the ladder completed, he thought.

"I might as well be honest. I am."

"Hermione, you're full of surprises. You'd never bore me in a thousand years." He chuckled, opening his arms before she fell into them, hugging him. She then raised her head and lifted an eyebrow mischievously.

"Only a thousand?"

"You'd never bore me…ever." He paused, planting a kiss on her forehead, "I'll be in love with you forever Hermione."

Suddenly, they heard a thunk from across the bushes. They separated, afraid of the unknown.

"Did you head that?" Draco asked, taking out his wand as Hermione followed, wand raised as well.

"Obviously, I have my wand out."

"Point taken."

The two crossed over the bushes with careful steps. They didn't find anything until Hermione gave out a blood curdling scream.

What seemed to be a dead body lay on the cold ground. The sun had already set because winter was soon to arrive. The body's wand lay on the ground beside it and was glowing an odd color. Hermione had never seen something like this. The person had been still before Hermione arrived but suddenly it jumped up, wand in hand, and eyes glowing red.

Hermione screamed in surprise. The body's flaming hair suddenly beginning whipping around in wind.

With a twitch of her body an abrupt smooth, low voice flowed from her slightly opened mouth. Her feet were a good few feet over the ground.

"At last…We meet again Granger." It drawled from within her.

A burst of light alerted Draco where the scream had come from but by the time he arrived Hermione had disappeared and so had whatever had been there.

As he stepped foreword he heard something he had trampled crinkle from the impact. Looking down he found a scroll and quickly tore it open with a thrust to read what lay beneath.

_Again, my friend, she's taken away_

_And what will you do once you hear what I say?_

_This riddle might guide you_

_Or shall lead you astray_

_But whatever you choose, a price must be paid_

_This person so willing, so easy to trick_

_With flaming red hair, and the hope of a brick_

_She's finally come, to set my amends_

_And fulfill my wishes_

_Until my dream comes to end_

_She knows what you love_

_What you hate_

_What you want_

_It's your pride_

_And your love_

_That she hates you to flaunt_

_Yet me journal's destroyed and it's truth behind lies_

_It's only your heart that surely will die_

_I've planned this since 1_

_And now it's past 10_

_You'll feel so much pain and regret yet again_

_Planning your death is my latest invention_

_Your love with a mudbloud surely set up infection_

_So take my words well_

_And find your course_

_But both lead to nowhere_

_So plan not with force. _

"Flaming red hair…journal's destroyed…" Draco pondered, suddenly the answer came to his mind and he was flown into a place of hate and betrayal, "Weasley…Ginny Weasley!"

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	20. Chapter 20

**A/N**

**Gracious! So many of you are confused!!! Well, I'll let you all in for a secret. Ginny is indeed possessed, but only because of her own decisions. If we all refer back to a much earlier chapter, Ginny was insanely jealous when she found out about Hermione's kiss with Harry whom Ginny loved so dearly. Jealous enough to turn her back to the trio once again and return to her own little guilty pleasures of Lord Voldemort (whom I like to call Mr. Hoity Toity of the dark) **

**Meanwhile, now that she's officially joined him she's been ranked top man/woman and devoted her body to his use. So basically, that "voice" that totally flowed from her mouth was Mr. Hoity Toity himself, back to kill all the muggle born yet again.**

**Let's see where this leads to, shall we?**

"Ginny? O, o god, no…" Hermione gasped as Ginny's burning red eyes returned to a normal state. With a shaken body she fell towards the ground.

Once she had a fallen, a slimy creature erupted from her mouth, crawling its way out like a serpent.

"Well, well, if it isn't Hermione Granger."

"What have you done to Draco?" she responded with an intense speed, slowly backing herself up as the slithery creature crept towards her. Still not realizing whom it was, Hermione only saw an almost transparent colored snake, balancing on the end of its tail, hissing madly. His eyes were the worst, they were piercing red and his nose was only two slits.

"What are you?" She whispered, watching as he left a slight trail of slime.

Without a reply the snake sprang up and sank his venomous teeth into her bare neck. She tried to yank him off but his teeth had sank too long and soon she had fallen over in a poison that riveted her body and sent chills down her back continuously. Yet, she could not open her eyes.

"I, am Lord Voldemort." Was all she heard before she was tossed into an utter torture too gruesome for words.

Draco stood, speechless, in front of the spiral staircase that led to Dumbledore's office.

"Would you like a chocolate frog?" Dumbledore asked Draco once he sat down in a dark brown lounge chair in front of the desk.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"What brings you here today Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore drawled slowly, pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Hermione's-"

"I'm already aware." He replied, with not a drop of expression in his voice. He didn't even lift his head. He sat focused on the moving pictures that came with his frog (it was a photo of him).

"That's a not a very becoming picture of me, don't you agree Mr. Malfoy?" he asked smoothly, facing the photo towards Draco.

He didn't even care, was all Draco could think about. The bloody old bastard didn't even care, he was more self absorbed in his stupid picture than Hermione!

"There is absolutely no need to be angry Mr. Malfoy." As if he'd read all his thoughts, "It's just a simple trick…"

"HOW IS IT GODDAMN SIMPLE? HE'S GOING TO KILL HER! HE WILL! HE HATES MUDBLOODS!"

"Watch your language Mr. Malfoy. Sit down."

With a snort Draco plopped back down into the chair he had shot out of in disgust.

The next hour passed and soon Draco was kicked out of the room so that Dumbledore could tell Snape again that he couldn't give detention to students just because they were "Gryffindors and had the same color hair as him which disgusted him".

"That bloody fucking bastard…" Draco hissed, shuffling towards the back of the gardens.

_Hermione's spot._

The place was quiet, just the sound of small birds flying about and squirrels chasing after fallen acorns with a driven hunger within them.

His eyes were steady; resting them on the stone bench. All he could do was visualize Hermione's still body…dead, only a corpse left. And he wondered, if maybe this relationship was too much of a strive, too much of a leap of faith. Maybe it wasn't meant to be.

"Maybe it's not meant to be…for real." By now, Draco had kneeled down onto the soft dark soil and was staring up at the blanket of night sky above him.

"I'm very pleased Weasely…I'm very pleased." Voldemort's hissed pleasantly, his tail curled up underneath him. From across him sat a velvety black armchair. Inside that chair was Ginny Weasely, starting almost into nothing at all but her ears were perked. She was listening. She loved hearing that praise, that sound of somebody who really appreciated her work, for what she had done not somebody else.

"That Granger is a bitch…" she muttered. Her eyes had grown large bags from hours of non stop labor to help her master, her hair was no longer smooth and shiny but tangled and matted together. Neither was her bubbly personality the same, she had become strangely cold and cruel hearted and killing was nothing but a sloppy chore to her now.

"If I can't have Harry, then I'll take what he loves so dearly…"

"Do not dare speak his name…"

"Yes Master."

"Do you know what next task is?"

"Yes Master."

"Good. Do it."

"yes Master."

With a small nod of approval Ginny was released but first took a rest in her chamber.

Ever since the mark had been burned onto her arm she'd lost all recall of happy moments and now her mind only flooded of what lay ahead: kill, kill, kill, Harry, kill, kill, kill.

She had to kill Harry first, Draco second, Hermione third…and finally, Ron, her own brother.

"Mr. Malfoy, Headmaster Dumbledore asks for you." Professor Snape called over to Draco during his Potions class.

_Bout' time that old fart called for me_. Draco thought, with a screech he moved his chair and raced upstairs to Dumbledore's office.

"You called?" Draco said, ignoring to knock on the door first. Dumbledore's back was facing him before he turned around.

"Indeed I did, sit down."

With a plop Draco fell into a seat in front of the desk and crossed his feet over an arm of the chair beside him, looking bored.

"I beg your pardon if you're planning to fall asleep here but I promise you what I'm about to say concerns finding Ms. Granger."

This perked up his ears, this was what Draco wanted to hear…what could he do?

"I've found her already actually. She's with Voldemort."

How calmly Dumbledore was able to state this shocked Draco, in fact, almost enraged him.

"No need to be angry Draco, you're simply in a state of shock."

"She's not far from her actually, just an island around…it's getting there that could be some trouble."

"What does that mean Professor?"

"It's hard to explain, all I can do is give you a memory to see."

"The Pensive then?"

"Indeed, follow me please."

With a brisk motion, Dumbledore heaved out from his seat and slightly tottered over to the large sink-like bowl.

After the procedures had been finished Draco's mind spun, then released then was squished as if the size of a pea before his body flew into a turmoil and thrown onto a grassy lawn.

"You call this dangerous?" Draco snorted, looking up at Dumbledore, but he held no amused smile, he looked rather grave.

"Be patient Mr. Malfoy, what it seems to be is not always what it is."

All the while Draco had mouthed these words and rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, before he had a chance to throw another remark he saw another Dumbledore come out from the bushes. He looked much younger, he hadn't gotten all grey yet either, some brown hair was still scattered around, but if anything he was still at least middle aged.

But that wasn't what had caught his breath, it was the fact a huge lightening bolt shaped scar was across Dumbledore's forehead and as he turned to face the now-Dumbledore he realized this scare was still there but very well hidden by his hat…

Did this mean Dumbledore had also survived Voldemort's death curse? If so, why? How?

"Mr. Malfoy, I trust you to not share what you've just seen and focus on why I've given you this memory. Understand?"

Dumbledore did not turn to face Draco as he said this, his hands were set behind his back and his gaze was steady upon his past self.

"Yes sir."

But he couldn't keep it from invading his mind, all these questions about that scar that was exactly the same as Harry's could not escape his thoughts and finally nothing ended them until he heard a thunderous roar.

"That, Mr. Malfoy would be the reason why this island is dangerous. I expect you will not be alarmed, this is only a memory after all and none of these moving beings will affect you."

"I understand sir."

"Good. Please continue watching."

The thunderous roar came closer, movement shaking the ground….and it grew closer still, more and more until a monster erupted from between the mountains. It had fangs the size of broomsticks, and its eyes were like slits.

_Voldemort. This was his island, wasn't it? _Draco thought, watching the huge reptile slither towards the younger Dumbledore.

With one slap of Voldemort's scaly tail, Dumbledore flew towards the ground and the real Dumbledore twitched ever so slightly.

Before he could count to three, many more animals came into view, all different in shapes, size, color, ferociaty.

"That's all I can show you Mr. Malfoy, I feel the rest is still to hard to recall…or, well, I do not really wish to remember, as it was a painful experience."

Draco fell out of the memory as strangely as he'd fallen into but this time…he had come out with a lot of extra baggage attached.

He would never see Dumbledore the same way, not with that scar on his forehead…not when he had something the marked a death curse.

"Mr. Malfoy, I presume you will fight to the death to find Ms. Granger?"

This knocked him back to his original plans.

"Of course!"

As he turned to go, facing the door with a sudden urgency racing through him, Dumbledore softly mentioned one more thing.

"I hope you will not share what you've just seen Mr. Malfoy…"

He nodded, then continued towards the door.

For some reason he knew Dumbledore meant more than seeing that scar but he couldn't quite place his finger on what it was…


End file.
